PCB appoints Babar Azam as Pakistan's T20I, ODI skipper

Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam has been reappointed as the national side's captain for the white-ball matches, said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday.

The decision to change the team's skipper comes ahead of the Green Shirt's five-match T20I series against the New Zealand which will begin from April 18. 

“Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain,” the PCB posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team.”

The 29-year-old batter stepped down from all formats of captaincy in November last year after the humiliating World Cup campaign, ending his years-long stint in the leading position.

Before his removal, the former skipper was under fire for several months after Pakistan failed to perform in the Asia Cup and continued the same momentum into the World Cup — where they crashed out before reaching the semis.

Babar was previously appointed white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2020, but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.

Following this, the PCB under Zaka Ashraf appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as white-ball captain after the team’s drubbing in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Meanwhile, Shan Masood was given the red-ball captaincy by the previous management.

Babar Azam has played 52 Tests, 117 ODIs and 109 T20Is for the national side. He has lead 71 T20 matches including T20 World Cup as the team's captain.

Under his leadership, the Men in Green won 42 matches and lost 23 matches.