Captaincy has added significant workload: Babar Azam drops a bomb, steps down as Pakistan's white-ball captain

On Wednesday(Oct 2), Babar Azam dropped a bomb by announcing his decision to step down as Pakistan's white-ball captain. Notably, it is the second time in less than a year that Babar has stepped down from the captaincy post. He did the samein mid-November 2023 (back then, he resignedas an all-format skipper), following Men in Green's shambolic exit from the ODI World Cup held in India.

Babar shared a post on his official handle on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, "Dear Fans, I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role."

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He added, "Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy. By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support."

Babar's decision might have surprised many but it was always coming given Pakistan's disastrous run in the 2024 T20 World Cup, in West Indies and USA. After him stepping down as all-format skipper in late 2023, he was succeeded by Shan Masood in Tests and Shaheen Afridi in T20Is. While Masood continues to lead the red-ball side, despite a winless run so far, Shaheen was sacked after only one series ahead of the T20 WC. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) removed Shaheen from the post, following Pakistan's 4-1 series loss to hosts New Zealand early this year, and reappointed Babar as the captain in the shortest format.

However, Pakistan's failure in the T20 WC -- where they lost to USA and India -- added pressure on Babar, who couldonly score 122 runs at an average of 101.66in the mega event.

Since then, Pakistan haven't played a T20I. Moreover, they are yet to play an ODI following their flop show in the WC held in India last year.

Babar's decision to step downcomes after the Strategic Connection Camp - a workshop that was held last month to chart out the future plan for Pakistan cricket. It was attended by Masood andMohammad Rizwan as well.