'Pakistan Cricket is in ICU..': Babar Azam Heavily Criticized by Former Great Amid 'Leadership Crisis'

Babar Azam stepped down as Pakistan's captain. (Credits: ICC)

KEY HIGHLIGHTS Babar Azam heavily criticised for his captaincy resignation

Rashid Latif slams Babar for the timing of his decision

PCB facing leadership crisis ahead of Test series against England

Babar Azam dropped a captaincy bombshell on Tuesday, offering his resignation from the leadership role via a statement on social media. Pakistan cricket is at its lowest in many years, after their failure to reach the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2024. Following their defeat to Bangladesh in the two-match Test series at home, Babar has decided to relinquish Pakistan's captaincy and focus solely on playing as a specialist batter.

Former skipper Rashid Latif has questioned the timing of Babar Azam's decision, three days before England arrived for a three match Test series. At a time when the rudderless ship needs its captain the most, Pakistan Cricket Board have some tough calls to make.

Following Pakistan's early exit in the 2023 ODI World Cup Babar stepped down as captain only to be handed the leadership once again in March. However the second stint resulted in another horror show during the T20 World Cup in United States.

"It's a leadership crisis. Pakistan cricket is in the ICU with no specialist for treatment. He should not have accepted captaincy again," Rashif Latif told AFP.

"Neither the team was performing nor was he scoring big. This resignation has come very late and that has not only cost him badly, but also the team," he added.

With Shan Masood feeling the heat after failing to win any of the five Test matches as captain, PCB will not only have to make a call on red-ball captaincy, but white-ball captain Gary Kirsten also faces uncertainty.

Earlier on 2 October, Babar Azam cited the need to focus on his individual performances as a batter to step down from the leadership role.

"Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy," read Babar Azam's post on X.

"By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth," the post read further.

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