PCB looking to bring Babar Azam back as captain: Sources

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board it appears has lost faith in the ability of Shan Masood and Shaheen Shah Afridi to lead the national side and feels former skipper Babar Azam is the best choice to captain the side once again.

Babar had quit as Pakistan captain across all formats after his team failed to make it past the group stages during the ODI World Cup in India last year.

While Masood was appointed captain in the Test format, Shaheen was made the T20I skipper.

Sources in the PCB think-tank said the board had come to the conclusion that, with no viable option available, Babar was the best choice to lead the side again.

“The funny part is that the powers that be appear to have lost faith in Shan Masood and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ability to lead the national side in Test and T20 formats with the change in the board’s chairmanship,” a source confided.

The source added that the interesting part is that Babar is now showing some attitude.

“Feelers have been sent out to Babar to find out if he is ready to take charge again and he has shown some reservations. Apparently, he wants some assurances from the board chairman,” the source added.

Babar was removed as captain in the white-ball format immediately after the World Cup when Zaka Ashraf was PCB chairman. He then opted to step down as red-ball captain as well.

Babar had held the position of captain in all formats since 2020 but poor performances in the Asia Cup and World Cup led to his axing.

“Shaheen, during Zaka’s time, was seen as the saviour of Pakistan cricket as T20 captain as he had won two finals for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. But he now appears to have run out of favour very quickly with the change of guard in the board,” another source said.

Shaheen not only lost his first series as captain in New Zealand (1-4) but returned to see Qalandars finish at the bottom of the points table in the PSL this year.

The source added that the current chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, was relying heavily on the advice of former players in take important decisions.

The source said that with the return of seasoned players like Imad Wasim and Muhammad Amir from retirement, it has also been decided that the chairman will meet the duo along with Babar soon to sort out any misunderstandings.