Appointments announced soon after Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan captain, Mohammad Hafeez to replace Mickey Arthur
In a surprising move, Pakistan has announced a series of new appointments shortly after Babar Azam stepped down as captain in all three formats of the game. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as their new T20I captain and Shan Masood as their Test captain. With no ODIs scheduled in the near future, the PCB has not yet named an ODI captain.
The decision to remove Babar Azam as white-ball skipper was presented to him as fait accompli, according to a statement issued by the PCB. While Babar was offered the option to continue as Test captain, he ultimately decided to step down. The PCB has expressed their support for Babar’s decision, with PCB chairman Ramiz Raja stating, “Babar Azam is truly a world-class player and we want him to continue to thrive as a player.”
Masood’s appointment as Test captain marks a remarkable ascent for the player, who has struggled to secure a place in the side over the years. His first assignment as captain will be an away series in Australia, a historically challenging opponent for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Afridi, 23, was widely tipped to succeed Babar Azam as T20I captain and will lead the team in the upcoming series against New Zealand.
In addition to the new captain appointments, the PCB also announced that Mohammad Hafeez will be the team director, replacing Mickey Arthur. The decision marks a significant change for Arthur, who will not travel with the team to Australia and New Zealand. It is also expected that a replacement for head coach Grant Bradburn will be announced shortly, with Younis Khan widely tipped to take over the role.
The appointments come amid a period of change for the Pakistan cricket team, with new leadership and coaching staff expected to steer the team in a new direction. The upcoming series against Australia and New Zealand will be an important test for the new captains and coaching staff as they look to turn around Pakistan’s recent struggles in Test cricket.