Picture Credit: Twitter
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Najam Sethi while speaking in a recent interview confirmed that Babar Azam can remain the national skipper until he wants. The 28-year-old top-order batter has been leading the Pakistan team in all three formats after Sarfaraz Ahmed left the position.
It is to be noted that Babar Azam isn’t part of the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which kick starts on March 25 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Leading Pakistan, all-rounder Shadab Khan has been named as the captain of the team which includes many fresh faces.
While speaking in an interview quoted by India Today, Sethi expressed how Shadab Khan’s appointment as the captain doesn’t threaten Azam’s place at the helm. Sethi also spoke about how he respects Azam a lot but for this series, the team is eyeing to develop young players.
“There is no threat. Our established skipper Babar will remain the captain of our national squad until he himself decides whether he wants to leave the captaincy of any one format or all three formats or he wants to remain the captain in all. It will totally be his call. I respect Babar a lot; he is our top star. I am very happy that he supported our decision to try youngsters against Afghanistan," Najam Sethi said.
Going back to Afghanistan series, Pakistan will travel to the United Arab Emirates on 22 March to play Afghanistan in three T20Is in Sharjah on 24, 26 and 27 respectively. This is the first bilateral series between these two countries. Pakistan and Afghanistan have locked horns in three T20Is and four One-Day Internationals, where the Men in Green emerged victorious every time.
Pakistan squad for Afghanistan series:
Shadab Khan (C), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Zaman Khan.
Reserves: Haseebullah, Usama Mir, Abrar Ahmed
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