ISLAMABAD
\nBabar Azam announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down as the Pakistan cricket captain in all formats.
\nHe made the announcement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), shortly after he met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Interim Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf in Lahore.
\nIn his statement, Babar said, \u201cI vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I\u2019ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan\u2019s pride and respect in the cricket world.\u201d
\nHe said that reaching the number one spot in white-ball cricket was the result of the \u201ccollective efforts of players, coaches, and management but I\u2019d like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey\u201d.
\n\u201cToday, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It\u2019s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call. 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,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cI want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility,\u201d Babar concluded.
\nBabar was first made the T20 captain in 2019, before taking charge of the Test and ODI teams in 2020.
\nAlthough Babar did not mention a specific reason for his decision to step down, it comes after the team\u2019s disastrous performance in the World Cup.
\nThe Green Shirts lost five of their nine games including a seven-wicket mauling by India in front of more than 100,000 fans in Ahmedabad. Pakistan also lost to Afghanistan for the first time.
\nReacting to Babar\u2019s decision, former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez appreciated the batsman\u2019s services as captain. \u201cSurely your hunger to get more runs contributed to winning matches for the team. Stay healthy and blessed,\u201d he said.
\nEx-cricketer Saeed Ajmal thanked Babar for his services as captain and for \u201ctaking Pakistan\u2019s ODI team to the number one spot\u201d. \u201cI hope that you continue to score runs for Pakistan even more than before. Keep smiling and stay fit. The team needs you at your best,\u201d he said. \u201cEnd of an era for Pakistan,\u201d said the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
\nEarlier today, Babar had also met the PCB chief in Lahore. Footage aired on television had shown Babar\u2019s car being hounded by fans and journalists as he left the PCB headquarters at the Gaddafi Stadium.
\nAccording to a Dawn.com correspondent, Ashraf had also met team director Mickey Arthur, head coach Grant Bradburn and other members of the interim management committee.
\nFormer captain Younis Khan and former pacers Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir had met Ashraf on Tuesday as the PCB began its inquest on Pakistan\u2019s performance at the World Cup and plans for the upcoming Test series against Australia.
\nIt was learnt by Dawn that the trio had advised Ashraf not to make wholesale changes ahead of the tour of Australia.
\nWith ODI cricket not high on the agenda for the next years, the former players had also instructed the PCB chief to shift focus to red-ball cricket and it was also learnt that Younis might be offered a coaching assignment to groom youngsters in Karachi.
\nIt should be recalled that earlier this week bowling coach Morne Morkel had become the first man to quit Pakistan\u2019s backroom staff following the team\u2019s failure to reach the World Cup semi-finals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Babar Azam announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down as the Pakistan cricket captain in all formats. He made the announcement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), shortly after he met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Interim Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf in Lahore. In his statement, Babar said, \u201cI vividly remember the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":368299,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-368288","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n