Pakistan’s unceremonious departure from the ongoing T20 World Cup in the Americas, has prompted former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to opine that Babar Azam would not be able to keep his place in ODI and T20I teams if he does not come down the order to finish matches for the team going forward.
The 2009 champions and runner-ups of the 2007 and 2022 editions were beaten by USA and India in their opening two group games thereby crashing out before even reaching Super Eights.
Before cricketing carnival, earlier relinquished captaincy was give back to Babar in March. And since Pakistan’s ouster Babar has been facing massive criticism from former players and fans.
However, Babar has said he hasn’t thought about quitting captaincy again and it is the board’s call.
“Who made Babar Azam captain at first place? Who was the Einstein by the way? I need to know that guy. Did he actually qualify for the job or not? Did he even knew a thing or two about captaincy?, questioned Akhtar.
“I have been saying that Babar is not a captain material. What is going to happen to Babar now? He is going to come down at No.4. He has to finish it off. They should win them all. If he doesn’t then he won’t play T20s; I am telling you right now if you don’t win ODIs then you won’t play ODIs; Mahir nahi hoon “finisher” ki baat karta houn main…uski adat ho gayi hai….ya ghalati ho gai hai muje pata nahi…..he needs more pressure like that coming up there after time; finishing games, this kind of pressure will come on him later on; I am literally telling you Akhtar & baber bss you ka superstar and then start and finish cricket, you know what I mean? “, he continued.
After Pakistan’s exit, it was the Pakistan Cricket Board that brought him back and. If a decision is made to continue with him or not, it will be theirs.
“I have not thought about it. The decision is of the PCB,” he said, asserting that he never asked for a leadership role.
“About the captaincy – when I had left it (after ODI World Cup). I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it and I announced it myself. Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB.”
The T20 World Cup has taught Pakistan Cricket Board one thing. The experiment of having no chief selector fail miserably during and before the tournament. In response to this failure, there are plans by PCB to reinstate its old selection committee system.
“The board is likely to return to the old system of having a chief selector with two or three selectors and the captain and head coach not sitting in selection meetings with the selectors,” a source told PTI.
Former Test fast bowler Wahab Riaz who was an integral part of the selection committee for cricket extravaganza is expect to keep his influential position on board as well as become potentially new Chief Selector.
