Babar Azam has announced his resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball cricket captain for the second time in 11 months, citing a desire to reduce his workload and focus more on his personal game. The star batsman made the announcement on Tuesday through a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the team and explained his reasons for stepping down.
Babar initially stepped down as captain across all three formats last year following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup in India, where the team failed to reach the knockout stage. However, he returned to the role of white-ball captain in March, just before the ICC T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies. Unfortunately, under his leadership, Pakistan once again faltered in the tournament, not making it past the group stage.
In his statement, Babar said, “It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.”
Babar emphasized that by stepping down, he hopes to gain clarity and channel his energy towards his game and personal growth.
Under Babar’s leadership in his second stint, Pakistan won just six of the 13 Twenty20 international (T20I) matches they played. The team has not participated in a one-day international (ODI) match since their exit from the 2023 World Cup.
With this decision, Babar hopes to regain focus on his individual performance and continue to contribute as a top-order batsman, while allowing the next captain to take charge of Pakistan’s future white-ball campaigns.
