Babar Azam unlikely to face immediate action after poor T20 WC show; PCB to shuffle selection committee

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to take any immediate action on Babar Azam’s leadership role as they intend to focus on a reshuffle in the selection committee. Pakistan were eliminated in the group stage of the T20 World Cup where they lost to India and the co-hosts USA while they laboured their way to a win against Ireland. However, the PCB intends to shuffle the pack of selectors rather than focus on Babar’s captaincy performance.

Babar unlikely to face immediate action

One of the main reasons Babar will not face immediate action is because Pakistan are not in white-ball action until November. With time in hand, the board intends to keep the matter cool for the moment and instead make changes to the selection committee. The seven-member pack consisting of Wahab Riaz is unlikely to be retained with fresh faces expected to be included.

The existing selection committee came into existence after the ODI World Cup in India when Pakistan suffered a league stage exit. Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned from his post when Pakistan were unable to reach the top four of the ODI World Cup in November 2023 with Wahab and Co. being given the charge. However, they are unlikely to be retained as PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said at the time that the committee would "make a majority decision based around debate and argument to reach a satisfactory conclusion".

Wahab is unlikely to be included again despite enjoying de facto powers during the last few months as selection committee head. It is also understood that, before taking any concrete decision PCB will take feedback from head coach Gary Kirsten and his supporting staff. Like Wahab, Babar is also unlikely to regain his role and could be stripped of the captaincyfrom the white-ball format. He had already relinquished captaincy in the red-ball format in December 2023.

Though the PCB and the players agreed to three-year contracts in a landmark decision last year, it only applies to the overarching terms of the contract. Individual players can be moved up and down in categories - or left out altogether - depending on their performances.