Lahore, November 15, 2023 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the appointments of Shan Masood and Shaheen Shah Afridi as captains for Test and T20I formats, respectively.
Addressing X, formerly Twitter, the PCB announced the Test and T20I team captains. “Introducing our leaders: [Shan Masood] named Test captain, and [Shaheen Shah Afridi] to lead the T20I side,” PCB stated.
Presenting our captains 🇵🇰@shani_official has been appointed Test captain while @iShaheenAfridi will lead the T20I side. pic.twitter.com/wPSebUB60m
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 15, 2023
Shan Masood’s inaugural task involves a three-match Test series against Australia, commencing on December 14. Conversely, Shaheen Afridi, as T20I captain, faces his first challenge in a five-match series against New Zealand in January. The appointment of the ODI captain is pending, with Pakistan’s next ODI series slated for November 2024 during their tour of Australia, featuring a three-match ODI and T20I series.
In addition, the PCB has designated former Test captain Muhammad Hafeez as Team Director, taking over from Mickey Arthur, recently appointed under the management led by Najam Sethi. This decision follows star batter Babar Azam’s announcement to resign as the captain in all formats due to the team’s disappointing performance in the ongoing 2023 World Cup.
“Today, I am relinquishing my role as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a challenging decision, but I believe it is the right time for this decision,” stated the right-handed batter in a statement released on X (formerly Twitter).
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) November 15, 2023
Babar Azam’s resignation followed a meeting with Zaka Ashraf, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Sources from ARY News indicate that despite the resignation, the PCB has opted to keep Babar Azam as the captain for the upcoming Test series against Australia, set to begin on December 14 next month.
The right-handed batsman was informed that the PCB intended to introduce a new captain for the white-ball format. Nevertheless, sources indicate that Babar expressed reluctance to retain captaincy in any specific format.
It is noteworthy that the star batsman took on the role of white-ball captain in 2019 and assumed the position of Test skipper in 2021.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam, in an official statement, announced his commitment to continue representing Pakistan as a player in all three formats.
“I distinctly recall the moment in 2019 when the PCB entrusted me with the leadership of Pakistan. Throughout the past four years, I’ve encountered numerous challenges and triumphs both on and off the field. However, my unwavering dedication was always aimed at upholding Pakistan’s pride and garnering respect in the cricketing realm,” expressed the right-handed batsman.
He emphasized that the Pakistan cricket team achieved the number 1 ranking in the white-ball format through the “collective efforts of players, coaches, and management.”
Azam extended his appreciation to the dedicated Pakistan cricket fans for their “unfaltering support throughout this journey.”
“I will persist in representing Pakistan as a player across all three formats. I am committed to supporting the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication,” he stated, recognizing the PCB for “entrusting me with this significant responsibility.”
Babar Azam’s captaincy and his future in the role came under scrutiny following the subpar performance of the national team in the 2023 World Cup.
