However, Sethi’s tweets did not offer the Pakistan captain his complete backing, acknowledging that he had weighed the “pros and cons” of removing him, and he would be “guided by the selectors and head coach”.
“For months media and cricketing circles have been discussing pros and cons of retaining Babar Azam as captain in all formats of the game,” Sethi said. “Since this decision is ultimately Chairman’s, I have sought views of Selection Committees headed by Shahid Afridi and now Haroon Rashid. Both Committees thought matter merited discussion but both later came to the conclusion that the status quo should be retained.
“I have subsequently publicly stated this position. In the final analysis my decision will be subject to the success or failure of status quo. I will also be guided by what the Selectors and Director Cricket Ops and Head Coach have to say going forward. I expect they will be in the best position to advise me. Therefore we should support Babar and not make matter controversial in interests of national team.”
For a recent T20I series against Afghanistan, Pakistan rested a core of senior players – Babar, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi. Shadab Khan, the official vice captain, took over at the helm, but Pakistan went on to lose that series 2-1. As a white-ball series against New Zealand looms, the seniors have returned to the squad, with Babar resuming the captaincy.
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