'Ab sharam aayi': Ex-Pakistan star slams Babar Azam after white-ball captaincy resignation
The 29-year-old was removed as Pakistan's white-ball captain after the team's underwhelming campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Sikander Bakht has strongly criticized Babar Azam for his decision to step down as captain of the white-ball team. Bakht believes that Babar should have taken responsibility and resigned from his position following Pakistan's disappointing early exit from the T20 World Cup in June. It is worth noting that Pakistan failed to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament after suffering a shocking defeat to tournament debutants USA, a loss that many considered to be one of the most embarrassing moments in the country's cricket history.
Bakht further expressed his opinion that Babar should have realized the need for change much sooner, especially considering his recent performances as both a captain and a batsman have not been up to par.
"Ab sharam ayi! (You finally felt ashamed!) As soon as our World Cup was over on 16th June because we had not qualified further, he should have resigned at the same time. The whole nation was saying that he should have resigned. But he was stubborn. Because his style was like this, he was king (In a sarcastic way). His performance was not good, neither was theirs. Anyway, they should have seen that we are removed in two ways. I don't know what happened to him," Bakht told Geo News.
In fact, Bakht went on to claim that Babar did not resign; he was instructed to make the announcement. Additionally, he mentioned that the atmosphere in the dressing room is tense, as three players - Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Mohammad Rizwan - are already competing for the captaincy in white-ball cricket.
"He was told to resign. Look, we have three captains in our base. There are groups of three captains. One is Babar, another is Rizwan. They want to become captains. Shaheen want to become captain again. And there is also Shan Masood. Shan Masood lost five or six matches,'' he added.
Meanwhile, the PCB has issued a statement regarding Babar's decision to step down.
"Although the PCB had backed Babar Azam as the white-ball captain, his decision to step down reflects his desire to focus more on making a greater impact as a player," the PCB stated in their official website
"This decision is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to Pakistan cricket. He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team's success in the shorter formats," the PCB added.