Tag: Babar Azam

Wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is the ‘strong candidate’ to become white-ball captain of Pakistan after the resignation of Babar Azam, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

According to the sources, relevant PCB officials have been asked to hold consultations with Mohammad Rizwan for team selection.

Babar announced his decision on Tuesday night through social media, citing heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar Azam in a statement on his social media platforms.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

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However, the sources revealed that there are more factors involved in Babar’s decision rather than his personal desire to focus on his individual performance.

According to sources, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten wanted Babar Azam to continue as the captain of the ODI team. However, he was keen on replacing Babar as captain in T20I format.

The sources further revealed that Gary submitted his report after Pakistan’s disastrous ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in July and discussed his plans for a potential captaincy change with Babar as well.

However, Babar decided to quit as captain from both formats and informed a top official in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) before announcing his resignation.

READ: PCB accepts Babar Azam’s resignation as white-ball captain

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted the resignation of Babar Azam from his position as the national white-ball captain.

Babar announced his decision on Tuesday night through social media, citing heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that Babar Azam tendered his resignation as Pakistan men’s white-ball captain on Tuesday evening, and it has been accepted,” the PCB stated in a press release.

They further revealed that the national selection committee has been assigned the task of making a strategy for white-ball cricket and recommending options for captaincy.

“The national selection committee has been tasked with beginning the process of formulating future white-ball cricket strategies, including recommending a new captain,” the statement further said.

The cricket board acknowledged Babar’s services to the national team and extended support for the star batter.

“Although the PCB had backed Babar Azam as the white-ball captain, his decision to step down reflects his desire to focus more on making a greater impact as a player,” the PCB stated.

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“This decision is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to Pakistan cricket. He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats.

“The PCB acknowledges Babar’s contributions as white-ball captain, his ability to prioritise the team’s needs and his unwavering dedication to Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue to support Babar Azam, recognising he still has much to offer both as a world-class batter and a senior statesman of the team.”

Meanwhile, Babar also reiterated his aim to focus on his batting and play his role in the team’s success going forward.

“Playing for Pakistan has always been my greatest honour and I’ve always placed the team’s success above everything else,” said Babar Azam.

“Stepping down as captain will help me deliver even more for the team as a player and I’m fully committed to that path. The team’s success is what matters most.

“I’ve had the privilege of leading Pakistan for five remarkable years, always trying to give my best as both captain and player.

“At this stage, I strongly believe I can make a bigger impact by concentrating on my batting. I am grateful for the constant support from my teammates, coaches and the PCB throughout my captaincy.

“While it has been a great honour to lead Pakistan, now is the right time to shift my complete focus on batting, the team’s objectives during this transitional phase and back the new captain and emerging players as we prepare for a crucial season ahead, including the defence of the ICC Champions Trophy on home soil next year.”

READ: Reason behind Babar Azam’s decision to quit white-ball captaincy revealed

Star batter Babar Azam shocked the world on Tuesday night by stepping down from his role as the captain of Pakistan’s white-ball team.

He attributed his decision to the heavy workload and expressed his intention to focus more on his batting.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar Azam in a statement on his social media platforms.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

However, the sources revealed that there are more factors involved in Babar’s decision rather than his personal desire to focus on his individual performance.

According to sources, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten wanted Babar Azam to continue as the captain of the ODI team. However, he was keen on replacing Babar as captain in T20I format.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The sources further revealed that Gary submitted his report after Pakistan’s disastrous ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in July and discussed his plans for a potential captaincy change with Babar as well.

However, Babar decided to quit as captain from both formats and informed a top official in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) before announcing his resignation.

Remember, this was Babar Azam’s second reign as Pakistan captain. His first tenure ended in November 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

The star batter relinquished all-format captaincy but was reinstated as white-ball captain in March this year.

He led Pakistan in three bilateral T20I series against New Zealand, Ireland and England respectively before captaining the former champions in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan had a lacklustre outing in the mega event as the 2009 champions, in a first, crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

READ: Tim Southee steps down as New Zealand Test captain, new skipper announced

Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam on Tuesday, announced to step down from the role with immediate effect.

In a detailed statement, issued on his social media platforms, the right-handed batter shared he made the decision to focus on his “playing role”.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

Babar Azam termed his time as Pakistan captain a rewarding experience but claimed it added workload for the star batter, who wants to enjoy his batting.

“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.

“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth.

“I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.

“Thank you for your love and support.”

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Remember, this was Babar Azam’s second reign as Pakistan captain. His first tenure ended in November 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

The star batter relinquished all-format captaincy but was reinstated as white-ball captain in March this year. He led Pakistan in three bilateral T20I series against New Zealand, Ireland and England respectively before captaining the former champions in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan had a lacklustre outing in the mega event as the 2009 champions, in a first, crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo hints at retirement plans

Legendary Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas has criticised national white-ball captain Babar Azam over his recent form and demanded his removal from the squad.

Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently, the highlight of which was his dismal run in the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings.

He last crossed the 50-run mark in red-ball cricket back in December 2022 against New Zealand with a marathon 161-run knock. Since then, he has played 16 innings with a highest score of 39 against Sri Lanka in July 2023.

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Zaheer Abbas, during an appearance on a sports talk show in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), questioned his place in the team owing to his dismal performances.

“Babar Azam should be dropped from the team,” Abbas said. “If he’s not scoring runs, because if he’s our main batsman and he’s out of form, he should be out of the team.”

However, Pakistan’s team management has shown faith in the star batter and backed him for the upcoming Test series against England, starting from 7 October in Multan.

Pakistan squad for first Test against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mehmood.

WATCH: Iftikhar Ahmed blames journalists for ‘ruining cricket’

Legendary Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas has voiced his displeasure over the comparison between star batter Babar Azam and Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli.

Babar and Virat are often compared across the cricket fraternity over their similar technical aspect, however, Zaheer Abbas called these comparisons pointless.

The Asian Bradman, during an appearance on a sports talk show in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighted the current form of both players, hinting at Babar’s recent struggles.

“The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player [Babar Azam] doesn’t score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player,” he said.

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It’s worth noting that Virat has been in good form recently, having led India to their second T20 World Cup title with a gutsy half-century in the final against South Africa in June.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to amass 27000 runs in international cricket.

On the other hand, Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently, the highlight of which was his dismal run in the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings.

READ: Bangladesh thrash Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match

GALLE: Rising Sri Lanka batter Kamindu Mendis added another feather to his cap as he equalled Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam’s two-year-old Test record.

Mendis achieved the milestone when he scored an unbeaten half-century on the opening day of Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand.

This was his eighth consecutive half-century in the longest format and thus drew level with star Pakistan batter Babar, who achieved the feat in 2022.

As a result, Kamindu Mendis joined Babar Azam as the only two batters to score eight consecutive half-centuries since 2018.

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Furthermore, Mendis, who has been in red-hot form since his Test return, became the first batter in the history of Test cricket to score a fifty-plus score in each of his first eight Tests, going past Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel, who scored seven.

Most 50-plus scores in consecutive Tests

Kamindu Mendis (SL): 8 Matches*
Saud Shakeel (PAK): 7 Matches
Bert Sutcliffe (NZ): 6 Matches
Saeed Ahmed (PAK): 6 Matches
Basil Butcher (WI): 6 Matches
Sunil Gavaskar (IND): 6 Matches

Mendis made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2022 against Australia in Galle and wasted no time to announce himself with a well-crafted 61, playing a pivotal role in leading the home side to an innings victory.

Despite a ground-breaking debut, Mendis remained away from the Test side for almost two years. He finally made his comeback earlier this year in the away series against Bangladesh.

Mendis started from where he left off as he scored two centuries in each innings of the Sylhet Test and backed it with a brilliant 92 in Chittagong.

READ: Adam Gilchrist reveals what made him retire from Test cricket

Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam achieved a major milestone on Thursday, becoming the first batter from the country to score 30 centuries in List-A cricket.

Babar Azam was under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances in international cricket, the highlight of which was his dismal run in the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings.

However, it seems like the star batter is finding his rhythm back during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup, where he is representing Stallions.

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During yesterday’s clash against Saud Shakeel-led Dolphins, Babar scored an unbeaten century, which helped etched his name in the history.

The right-handed batter has scored 30 centuries in List-A cricket, which is the most by any Pakistani batter, while Khurram Manzoor is second on the list with 27 centuries.

Babar Azam’s 104-run knock guided Stallions to a 271-run total in their game, which they successfully defended to register their second victory in the tournament.

The Dolphins’ batting unit skittled for a meagre 97 runs in 25 overs and thus succumbed to a crushing 174-run defeat, their third in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

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Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed’s hilarious comments about current white-ball captain Babar Azam during Thursday’s Champions One-Day Cup clash between the Dolphins and Stallions went viral on social media.

The seventh match of the tournament saw Saud Shakeel-led Dolphins taking on Stallions captained by wicketkeeping batter Mohammad Haris.

Batting first, the Stallions got off to a steady start with Pakistan red-ball captain Shan Masood and Yasir Khan giving them a 76-run start for the first wicket.

The left-handed batter was dismissed after scoring a 36-run knock, bringing Babar Azam to the crease.

The Pakistan white-ball captain’s arrival was met with loud cheers and chants of ‘Babar, Babar’ from the spectators in Faisalabad.

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As spinner Sufyan Moqim was getting ready for his first over of the game, Dolphins’ wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed was caught on stump mic encouraging his teammates along with a hilarious jibe at Babar Azam.

“Koi jaldi nahi. Inko Babar, Babar karne do. Hum Babar ko 40 over khila denge, baki sare out ho jayenge. (No hurry. Let them keep chanting Babar, Babar. We will make Babar play for 40 overs, the rest of the team will get out.),” Ahmed said.

 

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His sledging left fans in splits as several maintained that the dig was a reference to a common perception that Babar Azam batting for long would only benefit his team.

The game, however, saw the Pakistan white-ball captain playing a crucial unbeaten 104-run knock to guide his team to a 271-run total in their game against the Dolphins in the Champions Cup.

In response, the Dolphins’ batting unit skittled for a meagre 97 runs in 25 overs and thus succumbed to a crushing 174-run defeat, their third in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

READ: Babar, bowlers give Stallions thumping victory over Dolphins

MULTAN: Babar Azam’s unbeaten century, followed by a combined bowling effort led Stallions to a massive victory over Dolphins in the seventh match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Thursday.

Set to chase 272, the Dolphins’ batting unit skittled for a meagre 97 in 25 overs.

The Dolphins found themselves in a state of bother right from the start as they lost their opener Mohammad Huraira (0) on just the second delivery of the innings.

The wickets kept tumbling while experienced opener Sahibzada Farhan stood firm on the other hand.

Farhan’s retaliation finally ended in the 16th over as he faltered against Abrar Ahmed. He remained the top-scorer for the Dolphins with a gutsy 32 off 36 balls with the help of six boundaries.

Besides Farhan, Asif Ali (21) was the other Dolphins batter to offer some resistance against a disciplined Stallions bowling attack while the rest failed.

Jahandad Khan and Mehran Mumtaz bagged three wickets each for the Stallions while Abrar and Haris Rauf took two each.

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Stallions’ captain Mohammad Haris’ decision to bat first after winning the toss, turned out beneficial for his team as they amassed a commendable total of 271/7 in the allotted overs.

Opening batters Yasir Khan and Shan Masood gave Stallions a head start with a 76-run stand, culminating with the latter’s dismissal in the 13th over.

Masood scored a brisk 34 off 36 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.

With Masood’s dismissal, Babar Azam came out to Bat at No.3 and joined Yasir Khan.

The duo, however, shared a brief partnership, which yielded only 17 runs as Dolphins skipper Saud Shakeel trapped Yasir lbw on the first delivery of the 17th over.

The opening batter fell agonizingly short of his well-deserved half-century, scoring 46 off 58 deliveries and hit five boundaries.

Babar was then involved in an anchoring third-wicket partnership with Tayyab Tahir. The pair added 57 runs to the Stallions’ total until Tahir fell victim to Qasim Akram in the 30th over.

Tahir scored a cautious 33 off 49 deliveries with the help of four fours.

Following Tahir’s dismissal, the Stallions began to lose wickets at regular intervals but Babar Azam held his ground firm and kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly.

The star batter eventually reached his century on the penultimate delivery of the innings when he hit Mir Hamza for a four.

He ran for a couple on the final delivery of the Stallions’ innings and thus remained unbeaten with 100-ball 104, laced up with seven fours and three sixes.

For the Dolphins, Hamza, Qasim, Saud, Faheem Ashraf, Abbas Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem made one scalp each.

For the unversed, the Dolphins are yet to win a game in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup and are at the bottom of the standings with zero points while the Stallions are at third position with 14 points.

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