In a significant development, Babar Azam announced his resignation as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team across all formats. This decision follows Pakistan’s premature exit from the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, marred by a lackluster performance in the group stage.
Taking to social media platform X, Babar Azam shared a heartfelt message expressing his journey as captain since receiving the call from PCB in 2019. Despite the highs and lows on and off the field, he maintained a passionate commitment to uphold Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world.
Reaching the pinnacle as the number 1 team in white-ball cricket, Azam attributed the success to the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management. He expressed gratitude to the ardent Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support throughout the journey.
In his resignation statement, Azam acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but deemed it the right time. He affirmed his intention to continue representing Pakistan as a player in all three formats, vowing to support the new captain and the team with his experience and dedication.
Chairman PCB Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf, lauded Azam as a world-class player and emphasized the board’s commitment to supporting him. Ashraf highlighted Azam’s status as one of the best batters Pakistan has produced, expressing a desire for him to focus more on his performances without the added burden of captaincy.
Ahead of Azam’s resignation, Morne Morkel, the bowling coach, also stepped down. The former South African fast bowler, who joined the Pakistan team in June on a six-month contract, resigned after the team’s unimpressive World Cup campaign.
The PCB announced a restructuring of the coaching staff, including Director Cricket Mickey Arthur. The entire coaching staff will continue their roles at the National Cricket Academy. The board will unveil the new coaching staff in due course, gearing up for the upcoming series in Australia and New Zealand.
Pakistan’s next cricketing challenge is a three-match Test series against Australia scheduled from December 14, 2023, to January 7, 2024, in Australia.
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