Rizwan and Haris top contenders for Pakistan's ODI and T20 captaincy

Following Babar Azam’s resignation from Pakistan’s captaincy, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has emerged as a strong candidate for the One Day International (ODI) captaincy, while young cricketer Mohammad Haris could be considered for the T20 format.

The suggestion to appoint Rizwan for ODIs and Haris for T20s came after Babar stepped down from both formats, Express news cited sources as saying.

Head coach Gary Kirsten had recommended Babar to continue leading the ODI side but step away from T20 captaincy in his report after the T20 World Cup.

Gary Kirsten has expressed his preference for promoting young talent in the T20 format, making Haris a potential choice for leadership.

However, the final decision regarding Mohammad Haris’s appointment will be made after consultations with selectors and the board.

Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan captain

Yesterday, Babar Azam announced his resignation as captain of the Pakistan cricket team on Tuesday, stating that he wanted to focus more on his playing role and personal growth.

The decision came after he informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and team management of his intentions last month.

In a post shared on X, Azam expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the national side but felt that stepping down from the white-ball captaincy would allow him to improve his personal game.

The star batsman had been reappointed as captain for T20Is and ODIs in March 2024 after previously resigning from the role in November 2023.

Babar Azam had enjoyed a long tenure as skipper, leading the team to several successes, but he believed it was time to step back and concentrate on his batting form.

His decision marks a significant shift in Pakistan cricket, as new leadership candidates are now being considered to take over the white-ball formats.

Babar Azam’s Test retirement rumours debunked after Bangladesh series loss

Previously, after Pakistan’s 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh, social media was flooded with rumours about Babar Azam's alleged retirement from Test cricket.

Multiple posts claiming that the right-handed batsman had retired went viral, with criticism over his performance in the Rawalpindi Tests further fuelling the speculation.

However, it was soon revealed that the posts originated from parody accounts on the social media platform X.

One such post from a parody account named “Jay Shah (parody)” falsely stated that Babar had announced his retirement from Test cricket.

Another misleading account titled “Babar Azam (parody)” also added to the confusion, but Babar's official accounts on X and Instagram did not feature any such announcements.

Babar's performance in the series was lacklustre, as he managed just 64 runs across four innings, with a highest score of 31.

His struggles in 2023 continued, having accumulated only 317 runs in eight matches that year, and his last Test century came in December 2022 against New Zealand in Karachi.