Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has a piece of useful advice for under fire Babar Azam who recently relinquished leadership across formats. Following a disappointing show in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 held in India, the 29-year-old resigned from his post which forced the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make major changes in the leadership. Shan Masood was named the Test captain while left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been given the responsibility of leading the T20I side.
Babar will now be available as a specialist batter when the team takes on Australia in a three-match Test series starting December 14 in Perth. However, he will return to lead the Peshawar Zalmi in the forthcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Akram has suggested that Babar shouldn’t play the captain’s role in the T20 Leagues. Speaking with Sportskeeda after the World Cup, the pace legend said the right-hand batter should play the league, take his money and go home as leadership responsibilities only bring extra stress.
“I had a given an idea to Babar Azam a couple of years ago that don’t do captaincy in league cricket. [You’re a] Big player, take your money, play your game, get runs, go home, and then to the next event. Pakistan’s captaincy is alright, but the league brings extra stress without any reason,” said Akram, who previously worked with Babar at Karachi Kings.
Pakistan at ODI World Cup 2023
Pakistan picked up 8 points from 9 games under the leadership of Babar Azam. Meanwhile, the former skipper ended the tournament as the third-highest run-getter for the team with 320 runs and an average of 40, including four half-centuries.
Babar’s stint in PSL
Babar was traded by Karachi Kings to Peshawar Zalmi as the former acquired the services of the likes of Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik. Peshawar Zalmi finished fourth in the last edition of the PSL after losing to Lahore Qalandars in the Eliminator 2 in Lahore. But Babar was in red-hot form, scoring 522 runs in 11 games at an average of 52.20.
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