Star Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has shared his thoughts about Babar Azam stepping down from captaincy following Pakistan’s poor campaign in the recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023 in India. Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi have taken over as Test and T20 captains following the departure of Babar Azam.
Babar Azam was named captain in both white-ball forms in 2019 and Tests in 2020, but could not make an impact as a leader for the Pakistan team. Throughout the ODI World Cup 2023, his tactics and captaincy were scrutinized, and with much speculation in the media about his role with the Pakistan team, he stepped down from the leadership position.
In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Shadab Khan stated that Babar Azam’s decision to step down from captaincy was an individual decision and that the team had a great time under his leadership. The Pakistan all-rounder said that is excited to see Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy, who has done a brilliant job as a leader in the Pakistan Super League, stating that he is looking forward to playing under Pakistan pace bowling sensation in the upcoming tours.
“Look, everyone has their own decision, and Babar has stepped down. We send him our best wishes. We’ve had a great time with him as the captain of Pakistan. Now, Shaheen has taken on the role, and we’re excited about it”.
“We’ve witnessed his [Shaheen’s] captaincy in the PSL, and it feels great. Let’s see how it goes playing under his captaincy for the first time; it will give an idea of how much fun it is, and I am very excited to play under Shaheen’s captaincy,” Shadab Khan said.
Following Pakistan’s disappointing performances in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup, Babar renounced leadership responsibility in all three forms. Despite the criticism, Pakistan’s skipper, Babar Azam, has a remarkable record, with 78 victories and 44 losses in 134 games across all formats.
Shaheen Afridi can move the ball in both directions and also possesses a respectable speed to trouble opponents with both new and old balls. He would be eager to inspire the team in the T20 format of the game given his brilliant bowling skills and valuable contribution with the bat at the lower order.
The team will strive to establish a strong team in preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.