Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan captain, calls it ‘significant workload’

Star batter Babar Azam in a late night statment announced that he has decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.
This comes as Pakistan has not won a major tournament during Babar’s tenure as captain, which began in 2019. Last year, under his leadership, Pakistan was eliminated from the Asia Cup in the Super 4 stage after a two-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka in Colombo. A few months later, the team struggled to reach the knockout stage of the ODI World Cup in India.
 
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pakistan faced a challenging tournament, beginning with an unexpected loss to co-hosts USA on a difficult pitch in New York. This defeat had significant repercussions, ultimately preventing them from advancing past the group stage. 
Dear Fans,
I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month.
It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role.
Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.
 
By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth.
I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.
I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.
Thank you for your love and support.
 
Babar Azam made his Test debut in 2016, facing the West Indies. Over his career, he has participated in 54 Test matches, accumulating 3,962 runs with a strike rate of 54.63. He first appeared in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 2015 against Zimbabwe, and has since played in 117 ODIs, scoring 5,729 runs at a strike rate of 88.75. Speaking of the T20I format, Babar who debuted in 2016 against England and has gone on to play 123 matches, where he has scored 4,145 runs at a strike rate of 129.08.
(With inputs from agencies)