Following Babar Azam’s resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, a fierce contest has emerged among three players to take over the role. Surprisingly, this battle does not involve Mohammad Rizwan, who was initially considered the front-runner to succeed Azam. Reports now indicate that Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, and Fakhar Zaman are the main candidates in contention for the captaincy, while Rizwan remains out of the picture.
Potential Candidates for Captaincy
According to InsideSport, the three cricketers vying to replace Azam are:
- Saud Shakeel: Having served as vice-captain during the Test series against Bangladesh, Shakeel is seen as a leading candidate to take on the captaincy role.
- Fakhar Zaman: Zaman has leadership experience, having captained the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
- Salman Ali Agha: Although Salman has no captaincy experience in domestic or international cricket, his name has surfaced as a potential option to lead Pakistan’s white-ball side.
Rizwan Left Out of PCB’s Plans
Mohammad Rizwan, who was earlier seen as a prime contender, appears to have been left out of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) plans. Reports suggest that no formal discussions have taken place between the PCB and Rizwan regarding the captaincy role. Furthermore, the wicketkeeper-batter has not been involved in any meetings addressing Pakistan’s T20 World Cup performance or their series loss to Bangladesh.
Should Rizwan be offered the position, he is expected to carefully evaluate the opportunity. The report hints that Rizwan may raise concerns about how previous captains were treated, indicating hesitation about accepting the role without clear terms.
The Resignation of Babar Azam
Babar Azam’s decision to step down as captain comes after a period of disconnection and perceived undervaluation within the team, especially after the T20 World Cup. While Babar had initially resigned from the captaincy role after the ODI World Cup in 2023, he was reinstated just before the T20 World Cup, creating a tumultuous leadership journey for the star batter.
The search for a new white-ball captain marks a significant shift in Pakistan’s leadership strategy, with Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, and Salman Ali Agha emerging as the key names in the race to guide the team forward.