After star batter Babar Azam's recent resignation as Pakistan's white-ball captain, speculation is rife over who will take up the mantle next. Among the leading contenders for the role are Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel, dynamic opener Fakhar Zaman, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha.

Reports indicate that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pace bowler Shaheen Afridi have slim chances of being considered for the role, despite their leadership experience in other formats.

Saud Shakeel, who recently replaced Rizwan as Test vice-captain during Pakistan’s series against Bangladesh, is seen as a potential candidate. Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman, who has captained Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), brings his own leadership experience to the table. However, Salman Ali Agha, the least experienced among the three in terms of leadership, has yet to captain any side at the domestic level.

This leadership transition comes after Babar Azam’s decision to step down from the captaincy across all formats last November, following Pakistan’s disappointing World Cup campaign.

In the aftermath, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handed the T20 captaincy to Shaheen Afridi and the Test leadership to Shan Masood. Babar returned as captain of the white-ball team in March of this year, but his latest resignation leaves the position once again up for grabs.