Home
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja reacted on Babar Azam's sudden decision to step down as Pakistan captain from all formats of the game. Raja hinted that Babar may have come to the realisation that the PCB had already decided his successors for the captaincy roles.
Following Pakistan's shoddy show in the ODI World Cup 2023, Babar resigned from the post of Pakistan captain. While Shaheen Afridi has been named the new T20I captain, Shan Masood has been given the onus to spearhead the Test side. However, Pakistan's ODI skipper is yet to be appointed.
Follow the Sports Tak channel on WhatsApp
In an interview with a local television channel, Ramiz suggested that the immediate announcement of the new Pakistan captains just minutes after Babar's resignation hints at a pre-planned conspiracy by PCB chief Zaka Ashraf.
“Babar Azam must have realized replacements were already decided, and that’s why he resigned cause it doesn’t happen occasionally that he leaves. After five minutes, new captains were announced,” Ramiz Raja said.
In the wake of Pakistan's disappointing performance at the ODI World Cup 2023, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf convened a meeting with Babar at the board's Lahore headquarters to talk about the team's campaign. While Ashraf sought to retain Babar as Test captain, Azam ultimately decided to relinquish the captaincy across all formats.
“Babar Azam is truly a world-class player and we want him to continue to thrive as a player,” Ashraf said. “He is one of the best batters Pakistan has ever produced. He is our asset, and we will continue to support him. His batting prowess is a testament to his dedication and skill. He is a role model for the present generation,” Zaka said.
“We want to see him grow as a great batter and now without his additional burden of the captaincy, he can focus more on his performances to reach even greater heights. We respect his decision and will continue to back him,” Zaka added.
Pakistan lost five matches and won just four games in the group stage finishing fifth on the points table. Talking about Babar's lacklustre batting show, he could only score 320 runs in a total of nine innings as 74-run knock remained his best performance. Notably, Babar took over the captaincy of the Pakistani cricket team across all formats in October 2019, and under his leadership, the Men in Green rocketed to the no.1 ranking in the ODIs for the first time in May.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'Kohli getting better is a worry...': Why did Kane Williamson make this remark on Virat after semis loss to India?
'People started saying I've a problem. It made me very angry': Shreyas Iyer hits back at critics after robust ton in India's semifinal win
'Yes, it was a used wicket...': Kane Williamson reacts on 'Pitch Controversy' following World Cup semis loss against India
