Shan Masood to remain as Test Captain of Pakistan team

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 has apparently put Babar Azam‘s captaincy prospects in jeopardy, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to appoint him as captain for Red Ball Cricket.

As per the per reports, batsman Shan Masood will remain as captain for the two-Test series against Bangladesh in August. After the T20 World Cup defeat, the board’s management is reportedly disappointed with Babar’s leadership.

Former Australian player Jason Gillespie will serve as Pakistan’s head coach during the Bangladesh series, his first assignment in the role.

Babar was appointed White Ball captain in 2019 and Test captain in 2020. The team has not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership. After Pakistan’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the PCB appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as the white-ball captain under the leadership of Zaka Ashraf. However, this period was short-lived, as PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi reinstated Babar as the white-ball captain on 31 March, without making a decision on the red-ball format.

Shan Masood was given the Test captaincy by the previous administration. Although there were expectations that Babar could reclaim the Test captaincy, the team’s recent performance has dashed those hopes.

USA vs Pakistan dropped from T20 World Cup 2024 Ireland’s match at Florida’s Central Broward Regional Park on Friday was cancelled due to a wet outfield.

The Green Shirts have one more match against Ireland but it will be a mere formality as they are now out of the tournament.