The spotlight is on Babar Azam after Pakistan's dismal World Cup run which saw the team finish fifth in the points table with just four wins in nine matches.
Fierce criticism has been directed at Babar's batting and leadership after Pakistan were beaten by 93 runs by England which further piled pressure on him to relinquish his captaincy.
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Although during the post-match press conference by former England Michael Atherton, Babar expressed his intention to continue with his captaincy stating, "We will sit together and take stock. We'll take positives from this and discuss mistakes. I'm keen to lead the rebuild", the calls are growing only louder to get done with him as a leader.
Former Pakistan skippers, Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik joined the bandwagon.
What did Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik say?
Two former captains, Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik, suggested Babar to follow the footprints of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli of India who left their leadership roles to focus on batting.
Moin went to add: "A leader must know to sacrifice. You must be the first one to sacrifice for the team. If you are not able to perform due to pressure and yet you keep pretending, then one should realise that he is not fit for the job.
"There are many examples like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who left their captaincy. They struggled with the bat and there was no harm. As far as his (Babar's) batting is concerned he is a wonderful batsman. No doubt about that."
Malik went on to continue: "Babar can do wonders if he leaves captaincy. He can do better for himself and Pakistan. It is not that he is not capable and we are against him. He hails from Pakistan and I fear that he might not only be removed as captain but from the team as well."
MORE: 'Babar Azam should step down' - Imad Wasim wants Babar to take the fall, Wasim Akram differs
Will Babar Azam leave Pakistan captaincy?
PCB sources reveal that Babar has already consulted with teammates, including influential figures like Imam ul Haq, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali, the players, considered close to the skipper, who have discouraged him from resigning.
"Babar has already spoken to his teammates, and majority of them advised him not to step down himself. He will come out with a clear line of action once he returns home with the team after failing to make the semi-finals of the World Cup in India. But, he will not step down himself," a PCB source told PTI.
While facing challenging tours to Australia and New Zealand, Babar is likely to continue as captain unless the selectors or PCB request otherwise. The final decision might be left to the Pakistan Cricket Board, headed by Zaka Ashraf.
"He will most probably leave the decision of whether he should remain captain or not up to the Pakistan Cricket Board headed by Zaka Ashraf,” added another source.
Babar assumed the white-ball captaincy in late 2019, replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed after the World Cup in England, where Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals.
MORE: Pakistan players rally around Babar Azam, captaincy future in doubt after World Cup debacle
How many runs did Babar Azam score at the ODI World Cup 2023?
Babar Azam finished the tournament with over 300 runs to his name. Azam had an underwhelming trip to India, by his own high standards. Babar failed to record a single century at the World Cup if that could sum up his performance in the tournament.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | 100s | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 320 | 40.00 | 82.90 | 4 | 0 | 74 |
Who will win the 2023 World Cup?
India and Australia are now among the favourites for the 2023 World Cup title. The odds were as follows ahead of this match, and you can click here to make your bet (selected regions).
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| India | 1.95 |
| Australia | 4.50 |
| South Africa | 5.50 |
| New Zealand | 7.50 |
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