Babar Azam returns as Pakistan’s white-ball captain ahead of T20 World Cup

Pakistan captain Babar Azam replaces fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20 captain. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was on March 31 reappointed as the white-ball captain, two months ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The decision was taken after a unanimous recommendation from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee.

“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” the PCB said in a media release.

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Babar had stepped down as captain from all three formats for Pakistan after a disappointing outing at the ODI World Cup in India in November last year.

Babar had relinquished his role after the then PCB chief Zaka Ashraf told him he would no longer be captain in white-ball formats and would only lead the Test team.

Babar replaces fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20 captain, who led Pakistan in the 1-4 series loss against New Zealand in January.

The T20 World Cup will begin from June 1 in the USA and the West Indies.