Babar Back as Captain Shaheen Sacked
Drame continues in The Pakistan Cricket Board ( PCB) as they are once again in the news for their recent steps in team selection. Earlier both Imad Wasim and Mohd. Amir came out of retirement and were added to the 29-member selection squad before the New Zealand series. Now, the selection committee has sacked Shaheen Shah Afridi from the captaincy who was appointed as the new T-20 captain of Pakistan after Babar Azam and the team had a poor run in the ODI World Cup. Shaheen too failed to deliver in the away series against New Zealand losing by 4-1 and even his franchise side Lahore Qalandars also had a poor season in PSL where they won just a single match and ended at the bottom of the table. Selectors have again taken harsh steps and have again announced Babar Azam as the white ball captain of the Pakistan team. Babar will now lead the side in the 5 match home series against New Zealand and the away series in England before they start their T-20 World Cup campaign. Shan Masood will continue to lead in red–the ball format.
Source – Zee News
This step of PCB has left the Pakistan cricket fraternity in 2 halves where players including Shaheen Afridi have welcomed this decision and have given a statement that “I will always cherish the memories and as a team player It is my duty to back Babar Azam”. On the other side, – Pakistani Cricketers have lashed out at PCB on this decision. Former Pakistan Skipper Shahid Afridi posted on his X account that he was surprised by this decision of PCB and that if a change was needed then Rizwan was the best choice for captain and not Babar.
PCB clarified their step posted on their X account “Following a unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team” The current committee comprises Wahab Riaz, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf.
The selection committee of PCB has been in the news for their decisions many times and this change in captaincy has again brought them back in the limelight.
