Babar Azam, recognized as one of Pakistan’s most triumphant cricket captains, is poised to continue leading the national team until the 2023 World Cup.
An official statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still pending. However, reliable sources have confirmed to this publication that PCB’s top officials, including Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi, Chief Selector Haroon Rashid, and Director of Coaching Mickey Arthur, have unanimously agreed to retain Babar’s captaincy until the prestigious tournament.
In the lead-up to the World Cup, Babar will also command the team in all series and competitions. This includes a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, a three-match ODI series versus Afghanistan, and the Asia Cup, which Pakistan is set to host in September.
After several online and in-person meetings over the past few weeks, the decision to retain Babar’s captaincy until the World Cup was reached. It’s believed that no other candidate could match his cricketing skills or leadership abilities. Hence, the most logical choice was to stick with Babar as captain.
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Besides guiding the team to the World No. 1 spot in ODIs (albeit briefly), Babar continues to dominate the batting charts. His leadership in high-pressure situations and personal contributions make him a world-class captain.
He kept Babar as captain, dismissed any speculation about PCB, and considered other alternatives. Babar has already been briefed about the decision, primarily to solicit his input on team selection for the upcoming series, including the Asia Cup and the World Cup.
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During a recent media interaction, Sethi also hinted at keeping Babar as the captain. He stated, “I think there is no better option for the job.” There had been rumors that Arthur favored Shan Masood for captaincy, but Masood’s 158 runs in eight ODI innings didn’t strengthen his case.
