Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finds itself in a spot of bother regarding their white-ball captaincy, with the prestigious Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan itself. This news comes after a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign where the Men in Green failed to progress beyond the group stages.
Shan Masood continue to lead in Tests
While Shan Masood has been confirmed to continue leading the Test side in the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh starting in August, the white-ball leadership remains undecided. According to a Cricket Pakistan, PCB officials discussed captaincy matters during a recent meeting in Lahore.
The report quoted a source stating that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi approved Shan Masood’s continuation as Test captain for the Bangladesh series, with a strong likelihood of him leading throughout the season. This season includes Test encounters against England, West Indies, and a later away series in South Africa.
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Masood’s captaincy stint began with a forgettable 0-3 whitewash against Australia recently. However, preparations for the Bangladesh Tests are underway, with plans to hold a training camp for potential players in Rawalpindi by the second week of August.
Big question marks over Champions Trophy 2025
The bigger concern for PCB lies in finalizing the captain for ODIs and T20Is, a crucial role for the upcoming Champions Trophy on home soil. The report suggests the chairman intends to consult with prominent cricketers in the coming weeks before making a final call.
While there have been constant changes in T20I captaincy role, Babar Azam stepped down as ODI skipper following a poor 2023 World Cup campaign in India. Leading Pakistan at the Champions Trophy would be a matter of pride and immense pressure as it would be the first major ICC tournament that the country will host after as many as 28 years.