Now it’s official that Babar Azam is no longer the Pakistan white-ball captain. After a series of failures, the Pakistan superstar batter has decided to focus on his game rather than being the skipper. In a late-night post, Babar Azam announced this shocking news. Azam, who led the team from 2019 to 2023, resigned just after the 50-over World Cup in India. However, the Pakistan cricket board, known for making quick shifts, made Azam captain once again in 2024. After a poor T20 World Cup and not-so-good series against New Zealand and then England, he stepped down once again.
Now, all eyes are on who could be the next captain of Pakistan’s white-ball team. Many names are being discussed, but three players may get shortlisted. See all three top-quality Pakistan cricketers who could lead the team in the white-ball format.
Mohammad Rizwan
One of the most certain candidates to become the captain of Pakistan in the white-ball format is Mohammad Rizwan. A proven batter, he knows how to make calculative runs and, most importantly, how to manage team. He has shown this in the PSL, where Multan Sultans did a wonderful job under his leadership, reaching four finals and winning one. Rizwan provides consistency with the bat and also as a leader, which the current Pakistan team needs. We may see him leading the pack in the white-ball format.
Shaheen Afridi
Shaheen Afridi could be the next big name on the scene. Although he’s not new to leadership, having captained the Pakistan team in white-ball formats with a record of one win and four losses in five T20 Internationals, he also successfully led Lahore Qalandars to victory in the PSL in 2022, demonstrating his ability to captain a lineup. If the PCB is going to shortlist names, Afridi’s name is sure to come up in discussions.
Saud Shakeel
This youngster also gained attention when he was made the leader of the Dolphins in the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup. Not to forget, Saud Shakeel is the vice-captain of the Test cricket team as well. In the red-ball format, he has shown really impressive form, scoring 1,126 runs at an average of 56. There is a possibility that he could also be considered for the white-ball captaincy, although he is slightly inexperienced, having played a total of 15 games and scored 317 runs. However, the PCB may consider this if they are looking toward the future.
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