Pakistan likely to get new captain ahead of Australia series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to hold a high-level meeting and workshop, “Connection Camp”, on September 22 to discuss the future of the green team, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will chair the meeting, featuring head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, senior cricketers, coaches, and officials.

Sources revealed that the meeting will discuss the future of current white-ball captain Babar Azam, who will likely be removed from the position ahead of the tour to Australia. Test captain Shan Masood’s leadership is also under scrutiny.

The PCB is considering appointing a new captain for the tour, with several names being discussed as potential replacements.

It’s worth mentioning here that the development came after Pakistan were whitewashed by Bangladesh in the recently concluded two-match Test series in Rawalpindi.

Current Test captain Shan Masood faced severe backlash after Pakistan were thrashed in the home series while several others slammed star batter Babar Azam who failed to make a mark in the series.

Shan Masood was appointed Test captain after Babar stepped down from the position following the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

While the star batter was later reinstated as the white-ball captain, Shan Masood was given the Test captaincy.

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However, his outing as the red-ball skipper has been criticised as Pakistan lost all five games under his captaincy.

Australia defeated Pakistan by 3-0, while the national side lost to Bangladesh 0-2.

Pakistan under Shan Masood’s captaincy dropped to eighth place in the ICC Test Team Rankings after suffering a humiliating series loss at home against Bangladesh.

This is Men in Green’s lowest rating in Test cricket since 1965.