A string of announcements have come out of Pakistan cricket over the past few days, including new Test and T20I captains and a clearout of the entire backroom staff. Here’s how to make sense of the chaotic situation.
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Did Babar resign or was he forced out?
Babar Azam resigned from the Pakistan captaincy across all formats on Wednesday (November 15). Pakistan’s difficult campaign, Babar’s role in it and the constant commentary from significant figures back home had left him in a difficult position. Nevertheless, Pakistan had avoided a complete humiliation, finishing fifth in the group stage table and Babar’s place in the side was never under threat. Perhaps most importantly, there was no obvious successor to replace him. Babar had also indicated at the end of Pakistan’s campaign that he wanted to continue to lead.
While that makes the decision appear like he was more forced out than resigned, it’s worth taking into account the current structure of the PCB. Zaka Ashraf is currently performing the duties of the PCB chairman, as head of the interim management board which was appointed in July and had its term extended earlier this month. A court in Pakistan has ruled the interim board does not have the power to make significant changes during its term. Thus, had Babar not agreed to resign, there would have been no mechanism to remove him besides not selecting him.
This, and that Babar was reportedly asked to stay on as Test captain, characterise his decision as a reluctant one just short of a sacking. If he had insisted on staying on, he would have put the team and board in an incredibly difficult position and plunged the situation into deeper chaos.
Who are the new captains and when will they start?
There was no obvious all-format successor to Babar. Mohammad Rizwan was one of the options in that regard but he doesn’t currently occupy a spot in the Test side. Nevertheless, Rizwan still technically occupies the vice-captaincy role in the Test set-up. The other option for one leader across formats would have been Shaheen Afridi. However, having an injury-prone fast bowler at the helm of the Test team could lead to further instability if Afridi continues to need long spells on the sidelines.
Once it was obvious the roles needed to be split, there were still limited options to fill them. Sarfaraz Ahmed would have been a potential option for Test captain. Having already done the job and having been recently recalled to the side, he would be the experienced head. But, at 36 and having already been sacked once, that could have been characterised as a short-term backward step. Instead, the PCB have turned to Shan Masood, who has had a sporadic presence in the team over the last few years, and even less consistent form. However, he has significant leadership experience and is currently also captain at Yorkshire. His appointment is a prioritisation of leadership, rather than giving the captaincy to the player most sure of their place in the side.
Masood’s first assignment will be in Australia, where Pakistan haven’t won a Test match since 1995.
Afridi was given the white-ball captaincy but, in a moment of peak PCB-ness, the graphic announcing him as ODI captain was soon deleted. It was then quickly posted that the ODI captain would be announced in due course. Pakistan don’t have any ODIs scheduled until November 2024, well after the T20 World Cup next year.
What’s going on with the coaching staff?
Mickey Arthur, who was also sacked as coach after the 2019 World Cup, has technically avoided the same fate this time. Arthur was appointed team director in April this year after he turned down the head coach role. Instead, Grant Bradburn was appointed head coach. Both of them have now been ‘reassigned’ by the PCB. The meaning of this is unclear but it’s being reported that neither will travel to Australia for the side’s next international assignment.
In all likelihood, this is them being sacked. But, as already stated, the interim board do not have the power to make significant changes. Thus, if Arthur and Bradburn didn’t offer their resignations, ‘reassigned’ is the best the board can do until there is a permanent solution.
Mohammed Hafeez has accepted the team director job and will go to Australia with the Masood’s side. He has also been appointed head coach, combining the two roles into one and reverting to a simpler management structure. There has been no confirmation of his permanent appointment to the position, only that he will take the role for the series in Australia and five T20Is in New Zealand in January.
Finally, to cap off the announcements, Wahab Riaz, who officially retired from international cricket in August this year, was named as chief selector. The previous occupier of the position, Inzamam-ul-Haq, resigned during the World Cup over conflict of interest allegations relating to a company he is director of.
What happens after the Australia and New Zealand tours?
The simple answer is, no one knows. Everything hinges on a permanent PCB administration being put in place. We know that the interim board will continue until at least January, which is already far beyond what its constituted period in charge should be.
The PCB chairman is nominated by the Pakistan prime minister, currently Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on an interim basis. Pakistan is due to hold general elections in February, after which the new prime minister should be able to nominate a new chairman, and PCB elections can take place. One that has the power to actually make these changes and uphold them on a long-term basis.
The added element of confusion for everything that has happened in the last four days is that all of it could be reversed or changed once a new administration comes in. There’s nothing to say a new board won’t see the future of the setup differently from the interim board, especially if Pakistan have a difficult time in Australia and New Zealand. The announcements this week are very much surface level, with little substance until a board with full powers comes in.
