Babar Azam’s tenure as Pakistan’s white-ball captain could be nearing its end, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is rumored to be considering a leadership change after recent disappointing results.
According to reports, the PCB is likely to replace Babar as captain before Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Australia, which includes three T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
“Mohammad Rizwan Emerging as a Strong Contender for Captaincy”
The spotlight now shifts to wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who is emerging as a strong candidate for the white-ball captaincy. Rizwan has been in impressive form, especially during the recent Test series where he became Pakistan’s leading scorer with 294 runs.
Rizwan’s leadership qualities are being evaluated, and he could potentially take over the captaincy across all formats. Sources suggest that Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, Gary Kirsten, is a supporter of Rizwan’s leadership abilities and has recommended him for the captaincy to the PCB.
Babar Azam’s Struggles with Form and Rankings
While Rizwan’s rise continues, Babar’s recent performances have fueled speculation about his future as captain. His struggles in Test cricket have been evident, particularly in the series against Bangladesh, where he managed only 22 runs in one innings, followed by scores of 31 and 11 in the subsequent Test.
These poor performances have affected his ICC Test ranking, with Babar now dropping to 12th place in the latest standings.
Champions One-Day Cup Captains Announced
In other cricket news, team captains for the Champions One-Day Cup have been announced. Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel will lead the Dolphins, while Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the Lions. Shadab Khan takes charge of the Panthers, Mohammad Haris will lead the Stallions, and Mohammad Rizwan will captain the Wolves.
As Babar Azam’s leadership future remains uncertain, it will be interesting to see how the PCB navigates this period of transition in Pakistani cricket.
