A lot has been going on in Pakistan Cricket lately. From Shaheen Shah Afridi becoming the new T20I skipper post World Cup 2023 to Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim taking back international retirements, every headline has been making waves on the internet.
Babar Azam, who stepped down, or would be fair to say forced to step down from captaincy, is reported to be at the helm once again. Multiple Pakistani journalists including those against Azam have been reporting lately about his return as a skipper.
Babar’s captaincy got mixed reactions. While some were in awe of his performances, others disliked his strategies. In T20Is, the latter has a winning percentage of 64.61 having led the side on 71 occasions. Qualifying for the 2021 T20 World Cup semifinal and the final of the subsequent edition were some of the glimpses of his T20I captaincy.
His record in ODIs as a skipper is somehow similar. He boasts a winning percentage of 63.09, which is counted best among the skippers who have led Pakistan in at least 40 or more ODIs. While his record is valiant, his removal as an all-format skipper after the World Cup in India left his fans wondering.
In a successive development, his successor Shaheen Shah Afridi did not have a good start to his T20I captaincy. He lost the five-match series to New Zealand by 4-1. It could have been ‘just start jitters’, however, Afridi’s stint as a leader in PSL 2024 was horrendous. Lahore Qalandars barely managed to win a game.
Considering this buildout given the T20 World Cup 2024 over the horizon, the PCB intends to prepare a new captain ‘just in time’. The team is set to face New Zealand and England for the T20I series before that so the board reportedly finds it as an opportunity to look for a potential candidate.
The recently appointed PCB chairman Mr Mohsin Naqvi, in a recent presser, clarified that the decision about the new skipper will be taken after the Kakul Camp. He does not clarify whether Shaheen will continue or be dismissed as a skipper, however, the reports suggest so.
Is danger looming for Amir and Imad if Babar returns?
If Babar returns, it will be a shocking development for both the new returns, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim. The two cricketers have taken their retirements back to take part in the looming World Cup and were also named in the 29-player lineup for the Kakul camp ahead of the New Zealand series.
The two are known not to have good ties with Babar. The changes in the Karachi Kings’ squad over the last few years post a clear picture of the relationship among the trio. Also, their certain statements on Azam on-screen portray that things have been pretty rift between them.
During the PSL 2024 playoffs which saw Imad’s glittering performances, the all-rounder stated that new captain Shaheen has requested him to reconsider his retirement decision. While Shaheen’s career as a T20I captain is reported to be at stake, the drama remains to be seen if Babar returns as Pakistan’s T20I captain with Imad and Amir in the team.
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