Babar Azam replaces Afridi as Pakistan white-ball cricket captain

Pakistan has appointed Babar Azam as its white-ball captain and ended Shaheen Shah Afridi’s one-series stint as Twenty20 skipper.

“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 Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on X on Sunday.

Babar stepped down from the all-format captaincy last year after Pakistan could not make it to the semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in India. But under Afridi’s leadership, Pakistan lost the T20 series in New Zealand 4-1.

The new chairman of the PCB Mohsin Naqvi also did not especially warm to Afridi, especially after the left-arm fast bowler had a disastrous Pakistan Super League where his franchise – Lahore Qalandars – won just one out of 10 league games under his captaincy and finished last in the tournament.

Pakistan’s next international assignment is a five-match T20 series against New Zealand at home, starting April 18. Pakistan is also due to play three T20s against Ireland and four against England before the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies from June 2.