Shan Masood is set to continue as Pakistan's Test captain after the national side's exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday.
According to sources, Babar Azam will not be made the new captain of the Test series ahead of the series against Bangladesh scheduled in August 2024.
Pakistan cricket team has been facing severe criticism from fans and former players after their poor performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup which led to their elimination from the tournament.
With the match between the US and Ireland abandoned due to rain on Friday, the co-hosts secured one point, consequently ending Pakistan's hopes of proceeding in the tournament.
Pakistan didn’t perform well in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The Men in Green were defeated by debutants USA by five runs in a Super Over tie and against India by six runs. However, managed to win in their face-off with Canada on Tuesday by seven wickets.
This is the third time in the tournament’s history that Pakistan has been eliminated in the league round.
Meanwhile, in the Test series against Bangladesh, Masood is set to continue as the captain while Jason Gillespie as coach of the Pakistan Test cricket team. The player was also the captain of Karachi Kings in season nine of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Babar was appointed as the white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2020. Under leadership of the 29-year-old batter, the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup title so far.
Following this and the team’s drubbing in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the PCB under Zaka Ashraf appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as white-ball captain.
Nevertheless, the stint lasted for a brief period as PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, after taking charge of his office, reinstated Babar as the white-ball skipper on March 31. However, he did not announce his decision about the red-ball format.
On the other hand, Masood was given the Test format captaincy by the previous management.
It was believed that Babar could again get back his Test captaincy but the team’s recent performances have dashed all the hopes in this regard.
Syed Yahya Hussaini- Babar Azam
