Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated in a press conference on Sunday that the selection committee will decide the future of Babar Azam’s captaincy.
Azam, 29, was recently reappointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain after being removed across all formats following the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup. He led the Green Shirts in a five-match T20I home series against New Zealand recently which ended 2-2.
Naqvi confirmed that Azam will remain the captain until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, however, he wished for the captaincy matter to last for a longer time period.
“The selection committee has to make a decision on Babar Azam’s captaincy in the future. For now, he is the captain till the Champions Trophy 2025,” confirmed the PCB chief on Sunday.
“I wish the decision of captaincy lasts for a long time. It is completely up to the selection committee to decide which player they want or not, I don’t have the authority.”
Naqvi also emphasised the importance of fitness saying that we have never focused on it but we will now assess it closely.
“We have never worked on the players’ fitness [in the past], look at the players of other countries. We have to work on our fitness, how can a fitness camp ruin players’ fitness level?,” Naqvi said.
“My expectations from the team are the same as of the fans, if they lose after putting up a great fight, I will take responsibility for it. If it is the other case, then we will see.”
Remember, in March, Babar met the PCB chief to discuss the plans ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 after which Naqvi decided to give him the realm of the team in white-ball cricket.
It is worth mentioning that Babar Azam has so far captained Pakistan in five international tournaments — T20 World Cup 2021 and 2022, Asia Cup 2022 and 2023, and World Cup 2023 — but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.
- Babar Azam