Babar Azam Named Pakistan White-Ball Captain Again Ahead Of T20 WC 2024

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee made a unanimous recommendation for Babar, after which the decision was taken. "Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team," the PCB stated in a press release.

Babar had quit as captain from Tests, ODI and T20Is after Pakistan's dismal showing at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in November. He had stepped down after the then PCB chief Zaka Ashraf told him he would no longer be captain in white-ball formats and would only lead the Test team.

Babar replaces left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20I captain. who led the Men In Green in their 1-4 series defeat to New Zealand in January. The T20 World Cup will commence from June 1.

The current PCB selection committee includes Wahab Riaz, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf. Babar will now captain the team for a five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, before heading to England for four more T20I games ahead of the T20 World Cup.