The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) National Selection Committee has finally shed light on the recent leadership shake-up, detailing the exact reasons behind Shan Masood’s removal and Babar Azam’s sensational return as Test captain for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England.
Addressing the media alongside Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq, PCB Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed explained that a captain must be held accountable for team results. “While Shan Masood’s individual form remained solid, the team’s overall performance under his leadership simply did not meet our expectations. This change was necessary to steer the team back to winning ways,” Javed stated, also noting that the declining pace of Pakistan’s fast bowlers remains a serious concern for the management.
Javed firmly shut down swirling social media rumors suggesting Babar Azam demanded an all-format captaincy in order to accept the red-ball role. Highlighting the board’s desire for long-term stability, he added, “No selection committee wants a captain for just one series. We want whoever takes charge to lead for two to three years, but that continuity must be backed by consistent performance.”
Echoing the need for stability, Misbah-ul-Haq threw his full support behind Babar. He pointed out that despite past criticism of Babar’s T20 strike rate, his recent PSL dominance proved his indispensable value across all three formats. Misbah also clarified the exclusion of premium pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the current setup. Assuring fans that their red-ball careers are not over, Misbah emphasized, “They haven’t been permanently dropped. They just need to grind in First-Class cricket to regain their rhythm and peak form.”
