Babar back as captain of Pakistan and it is the most astounding moment in Pakistan’s history. His predecessor Shaheen Afridi lasted only one international series against New Zealand earlier this year, where the team lost 4-1.
On top of that, Shaheen had the worst season of the Pakistan Super League this year as Lahore Qalandars were eliminated in the first round. The rumours shortly began after the Qalandar’s elimination, citing Shaheen’s captaincy in Twenty20 Internationals was in jeopardy. Of course, it was supposed to be a rumour.
Those rumours started to become facts. On March 29, ESPNcricinfo posted news, confirming that Afridi will lose his captaincy with Azam yet to accept his role. Earlier today, it was confirmed by the PCB that Babar Azam has officially been reappointed as white-ball leader. This decision is met with mixed criticism. How this will affect the team and why this is a joke moment in the Green Team’s history will be unveiled here.
Babar back as captain: How will this affect the team atmosphere?
While fans at the moment are having a fiery debate on the reappointed of Pakistan’s star modern batter, the team’s atmosphere looks very calm and friendly. The recent video posted by batting all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed showed the players playing snooker in Kabul and shared a lovely moment.
It seems that Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have put their differences aside and accepted the role of having Babar back as their skipper. Amir and Imad were very critical of Azam’s leadership and playing style, often criticising the batter on air.
Also read: Imad and Amir: A Tale of Early Retirements, Controversies, and Comebacks
The most important view is how the team will perform under Azam once again. Remember, Babar Azam is the joint most successful T20I captain of all time (among the top-ranked sides), tied with Eoin Morgan and Asghar Afghan. The Green Team played two T20 World Cups, with the team reaching the finals in the 2022 edition.
The upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup, going to be held in the West Indies and USA, will be a huge task for Babar to live up to his expectations as a T20 captain.
Why is this all a joke?
It is an absurd decision as one to speak for it. But this is not the first time that captains have been changed drastically on the national side. But this case is odd.
Babar has led Pakistan for four years across all formats. He had a very good white-ball format as compared to his Test record. But it has always been a tradition in PAK’s cricket history to change the leader after the ODI World Cup.
Also Read: How good was Babar Azam as Pakistan Captain?
The star batter had reluctantly stepped down when Zaka Ashraf made it clear that they needed a new leader. Shaheen and Rizwan were strong candidates to take over and eventually, Shaheen became the new T20I skipper.
One can feel bad about the left-arm speedstar. He was a strong candidate because of his two successful PSL victories in 2022 and 2023. To lead only in one international series while losing it, losing the 2024 PSL and then getting dropped from the captaincy is very harsh for a youngster like Afridi. He may not have experienced at the international level but should have been given a strong run. He should have been leading the team in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The biggest issue regarding PCB
If Shaheen was supposed to be removed anyway, why made him in the first place?
This is where another issue comes in. Perhaps the root of all problems. The musical chairs play in the PCB of changing and removing Chairmans, especially when a new government runs the country, is a massive problem. For starters, politics and sports must NEVER be involved together. But sadly that has been the case.
When Imran Khan came into power, he appointed Ehsan Mani for a period of three years. This was the last time when a PCB chairman completed his stint completely. Since then, Ramiz Raja held the office for just over a year. Najam Sethi came in after Imran Khan was removed from the government but was the acting boss. He left the role shortly and Zaka Ashraf was appointed in July 2023. For the next six months, Zaka led the office before he resigned. Currently, Mohsin Naqvi is leading the cricket board.
This “circus” of consistent changes within the board has damped Pakistan Cricket. A new government appoints new men for the cricket office who have their own preferences in making captains and coaching management. This is something that must stop. A proper three-year run must be given to the PCB chairman, management and the coaching staff. The captain can come under scrutiny if the performance is below par for two years straight.
But this is easier said than done. Unless the government stop interfering with sports, nothing can be done. Pakistan Cricket has been in a mess for quite a while and this could lead to more unseen disasters which will be unveiled sooner or later.
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