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Babar Azam has stepped down as the captain of Pakistan from all formats after his side's dismal performance in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 in India. Babar took the decision after meeting Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on November 15.
According to reports, the PCB wanted Babar to remain captain in the Test format and relinquish captaincy in white-ball formats. Babar wanted to remain captain in all formats. After the meeting with Ashraf, Babar decided to step down from captaincy from all formats.
Babar’s full statement –
I vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I've experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan's pride and respect in the cricket world.
Reaching the number 1 spot in the white-hall format was a result of the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management but I'd like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey.
Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It's a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call.
I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication.
I want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility.
Babar’s inconsistent run with bat
Babar scored 320 runs from nine innings at an average of 40 including four half-centuries. He was nowhere near the 15 top run-scorers in the tournament.
Pakistan failed to make it to the semifinals of the World Cup as they lost four out of nine matches and finished fifth on the points table.
Babar's captaincy record
Babar took over the T20I captaincy in 2019. He led Pakistan in 71 matches and had a 64.61 win percentage. In ODIs, he made his captaincy debut in 2020. Under his captaincy, Pakistan won 26 games out of 43. In the Test format, Pakistan won 10 out of 20 Tests.
Big tour ahead
Pakistan will tour Australia for the three-Test series which will be crucial for their chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final.
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