Lahore: Pakistan captain Babar Azam announced that he is stepping down from white-ball captaincy, saying that he wants to focus on his playing role and personal growth.

“I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and team management last month,” the star batter said in a statement posted to Instagram. “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he added. Right-handed batter showed gratitude to his fans for their support while resolving that he is excited to continue contributing to team as player.

Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy across all formats after Pakistan’s dismal performance in ODI World Cup 2023. While Shan Masood replaced him as red-ball captain of Pakistan, star batter was reappointed as captain of white-ball format ahead of T20 World Cup 2024.