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After limited overs, head coach Gary Kirsten issued a damning assessment to the Pakistan Cricket Board, star batter Babar Azam had lost interest in leading the national white-ball sides. It became clear from conversations with people close to the Pakistan team and insiders on the cricket board that Babar had lost his spark following the T20 World Cup in July when the team struggled under his leadership.
Babar was not happy with the observations and recommendations of Kirsten and even assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood and felt he was solely being blamed for the disappointing performances. He had indicated to the cricket board after some parts of Kirsten’s report became public that he was not interested in remaining captain," one insider was quoted as saying by India Today.
According to the insider, Babar had expressed dissatisfaction to a few board members who had collaborated extensively with him, stating that it was regrettable that the PCB had not shown the necessary faith and trust in him or taken into account his prior achievements and outcomes.
According to a second insider, the PCB's decision to declare him as captain of the national T20 team ahead of the World Cup but to withhold his announcement as captain of the ODI squad was the last nail in the coffin. In his report to the board, Kirsten talked about the conditions in the locker rooms as well as the actions and lack of collaboration of certain players in England and during the World T20 Cup.
He also shared his perspective on whether Babar was able to manage the duties of captaincy and his more crucial role for the team as a specialist batter following the mental stress and criticism he had gone through since last year. One source claims that the PCB has instructed Kirsten, selector Asad Shafiq, and a few other members of the selection committee to make a judgment and provide a suggestion after careful consideration and deliberation, thus they are not in a rush to reveal who would succeed Babar as white-ball captain.
"Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear he wants minutes of all official discussions by the selection committee that includes both foreign head coaches to be recorded so that a clear reason is on record for making the appointment," he added.
