Babar Azam replaces Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan’s white-ball captain

Babar Azam will replace Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shaheen was named T20 captain after the World Cup in India last November when Zaka Ashraf was heading the PCB.

Shaheen’s appointment was made on the basis of his ability to lead Lahore Qalandars franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to two successive titles.

Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain

Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team. pic.twitter.com/ad4KLJYRMK

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 31, 2024

But after being named captain, Shaheen lost the T20 series in New Zealand 1-4 and also couldn’t repeat his magic with Qalandars as they finished at the bottom of the table in the recent PSL.

The decision to strip Babar from the all three formats following Pakistan’s poor 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. While no ODI captain was ever officially appointed when Babar reluctantly stepped down, Shan Masood is the current Test captain, having led the side in a three-match series in Australia.

Having started off their World Cup campaign with back to back wins, Pakistan lost track in the middle of the league stage as they lost four games in a row, including a first-ever loss to Afghanistan in the 50-overs format.

Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan reached the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The latest edition of the marquee event will begin on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies.