Babar Azam has stepped down as Pakistan's white-ball captain.
In a social media post in the early hours of Wednesday (October 2), Babar announced his resignation from captaincy duties. "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," he wrote.
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Babar: Want to prioritize my performance
Babar expressed his gratitude for having been given the role, but made it clear that he wants to focus his energies on his batting ad the workload of captaincy had got to him, which is why the decision.
"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."
Second captaincy resignation in twelve months
This is the second time Babar has resigned from Pakistan captaincy in the space of a year. Following the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, he had stepped down from the role in all formats. Shan Masood was appointed Test captain while Shaheen Afridi was given white-ball captaincy.
Afridi's stint didn't last long and Babar was reinstated as white-ball skipper by the end of March 2024. And now, six months later, Babar has resigned from the post again.
Also read: Babar Azam was all set to join the Fab Four, so what’s gone wrong?
What was Babar's record as captain in his second stint?
Pakistan had a disastrous T20 World Cup campaign under Babar where they lost against USA and were eliminated in the first round. Overall, Pakistan played 14 T20Is under his leadership during his second stint, out of which they won six and lost seven (including the tied game against USA which was decided in the super over). They did not play any ODIs in this period.
There has been no word from the PCB on his resignation or replacement yet. Babar's stepping down also comes just three days after Mohammad Yousuf resigned as a member of the national selection committee.
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