Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan captain after World Cup debacle | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Star batter Babar Azam on Wednesday stepped down as Pakistan captain after team’s dismal show in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The 28-year-old Babar has relinquished the captaincy role of the side from all formats but will continue playing for the national team.
During Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan reached the No. 1 position in ODIs, marking a notable achievement.However, their campaign in the ICC World Cup in India concluded on a disappointing note with a significant loss to England by 93 runs.
Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Babar expressed gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey.
“I vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I’ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world.

Reaching the number 1 spot in the white-ball format was a result of the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management but I’d like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey,” Babar posted on X.
“Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call.

“I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication.
I want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility.”
Babar himself had a challenging run in the World Cup, where Pakistan finished fifth with eight points from nine matches. He scored 320 runs in the tournament, ranking third in runs for Pakistan, maintaining an average of 40 and a strike rate of 82.90.
Pakistan faced setbacks in five out of their nine matches, including a defeat against arch-rival India by seven wickets.
In recent developments, Morne Morkel resigned from his position as the bowling coach of the Pakistan team. The former South African fast bowler had joined the Pakistan team on a six-month contract in June of that year.