Babar Azam resigns as captain

LAHORE: Pakistan’s Babar Azam announced that he will be resigning as captain of the cricket team on Tuesday.

The announcement came on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a post where he expressed both the joys and hardships that come with the demanding role.

The batsman stated that his tenure has been a “rewarding experience” and that “it’s been an honour to lead this team,” but that it was time for him “to step down and focus on my playing role.”

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This is the second time that Azam has resigned from the role. He was made captain of all three formats by 2020. However, he stepped down from the role in November of last year following a poor showing at the both the ODI and T20 world cups.

Pakistan was forced to take a first-round exit in the ODI world cup after losing five of their nine games. In the T20 world cup, Pakistan were upset by the United States and were beaten by India to end up being eliminated in the first round.

Shan Masood replaced him as the teams test captain, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took over in the T20 format. Azam returned to captain the ODI and T20 teams in a “strategic move” announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

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A “significant workload” comes with the role of captain, and by leaving the post Azam believes that he “will gain clarity moving forward,” and the reduced load will allow him to focus more energy on his game.

“I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family,” said the former skipper.

His post on X was met with immediate criticism from fans, poking fun at the former captain for his less than exceptional performances in recent outings.

“Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player,” said Azam.

He will be playing in the upcoming test series against England, which will be led by Captain Shan Masood.