Babar Azam To Leave Captaincy Decision To PCB After T20 World Cup Exit

Babar Azam has stated that the decision regarding his future as Pakistan's captain will be left to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. Despite ending their run with a three-wicket victory over Ireland in Florida on Sunday, Pakistan failed to advance to the Super 8 stage, losing out to the United States.

Shaheen Afridi was a standout performer for Pakistan, taking three wickets. Azam also contributed significantly with an unbeaten 32 runs to secure the win. "Yes, we finished well; we took early wickets with the ball," Azam commented post-match. "With the bat, we didn't finish well. Lost back-to-back wickets, got over the line in the end."

Azam acknowledged that while the bowling conditions suited their bowlers, there were batting errors in matches against the USA and India. "When you lose wickets, pressure is on you," he added. "Let's see what the team needs; I'll be okay with it. We have a good bunch of players; we need to go home, chat, and see where we lacked, and then come back."

Pakistan's exit from the World Cup marked their earliest elimination from the competition. They lost their opening two games to the USA and India. This has led to questions about Azam's future as captain, with Shaheen Afridi being a potential successor. Afridi was named captain following Pakistan's league stage exit from the ODI World Cup in India last year.

The 29-year-old Azam explained that discussions would take place regarding his future as captain but emphasized that the final decision rests with the PCB. "When I left captaincy previously, I felt that I shouldn't be captain anymore and announced it myself," Azam said. "When PCB gave it back, that was their decision."

Future Discussions

Azam mentioned that they would return home and discuss what transpired during the tournament. "If I leave captaincy again, then I will inform everyone," he stated. "For now, I haven't thought about it, and the decision is up to PCB."

Pakistan's cricket team will now focus on evaluating their performance and addressing areas of improvement as they prepare for future competitions.