Babar Azam asks PCB for captaincy in all formats: report

Pakistan’s batter Babar Azam has reportedly asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make him the captain of the national team in all three formats, ESPN Cricinfo report said on Friday.

According to the report, PCB has offered Babar Azam the white-ball captaincy once more, but the latter has not yet accepted the offer. The report said that 29-year-old Azam has asked the PCB to be appointed captain across all three formats if he is to consider a return.

Following the conclusion of the ICC World Cup 2023, Babar was removed from the captaincy in all formats with Shaheen taking the realm of the shorter format and Shan Masood becoming Test captain while no skipper for ODIs was announced.

The decision to replace Shaheen Afridi in shorter format came after Pakistan lost the T20I series against New Zealand 4-1 under his captaincy.

In red-ball format, Pakistan played just one series under Shah Masood’s captaincy against Australia in December 2023 and lost to Kangaroos by 3-0.

It is worth mentioning that Babar Azam has so far captained Pakistan in five international tournaments —T20 World Cup 2021 and 2022, Asia Cup 2022 and 2023, and World Cup 2023.

The men in Green have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his captaincy.