Hours after Babar Azam stepped down as the captain in all three formats, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced batter Shan Masood will take over as Test captain while Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the team in T20Is. 

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Masood will don the captain’s hat for the first time when Pakistan travel to Australia next month for the three-match Test series. The stylish batter made his Test debut against South Africa, way back in 2013 but has only featured in 30 Test matches. 

As for Afridi, the left-arm seamer has been an exceptional bowler in the format, having featured in 52 matches in his relatively short career. 

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PCB in a statement said the decision was taken after Babar came down to meet chairman Zaka Ashraf at the headquarters in Lahore. 

“Babar was asked to continue as Test captain, while he has been relieved of captaincy in white-ball cricket for him to focus on one format,” read the statement. 

Apart from the change in the captaincy duties, the PCB has changed the portfolio of the entire coaching staff including Director Cricket Mickey Arthur.

“All coaches will continue to work in National Cricket Academy while PCB will announce the new coaching staff in due course for the upcoming series in Australia and New Zealand.”

Babar’s resignation

Earlier in the evening, Babar in a statement announced that he was giving up on captaincy duties, terming it a ‘difficult decision’ to make. 

“Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call,” wrote Babar on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“I want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility,” Babar added.

The Pakistan batter said he will continue to turn up for the country in all formats and extend full support to the new captain.

“I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication.”

Babar’s captaincy was in problem the moment the side lost against arch-rival India. During the World Cup PCB chief met Sarfaraz Khan, fanning rumours that the former captain was being prepared to take over the reins once again from Babar. 

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