"He has done the right thing", former Pakistan cricketer opens up after Babar's resignation as white-ball captain

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has voiced his support for Babar Azam's decision to step down from the white-ball captaincy. The 29-year-old cricketer announced his resignation earlier this week, stating his intention to concentrate on improving his personal performance.

Butt discussed the matter on his official YouTube channel, highlighting that recent criticisms had undermined Babar’s capabilities as a leader. He believes the decision to resign was not only timely but necessary.

"Babar Azam has resigned from white-ball captaincy, and I think there's nothing to talk about it. I think he has done the right thing and should have done it earlier. People were undermining him, and it was a right decision from Babar," Butt expressed.

The former cricketer emphasized the importance of Babar focusing on his batting skills, which he believes will be more beneficial for the Pakistan cricket team. "He should focus more on his batting, and it will be more valuable for the Pakistan cricket team. He is a great batter," Butt added.

Babar’s tenure as captain, which began in 2019, has been marked by challenges, including Pakistan's failure to secure a major tournament win. Notably, under his leadership, the team was eliminated in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup last year after a close two-wicket loss to Sri Lanka. Moreover, Pakistan's struggles continued during the ODI World Cup in India, where they failed to reach the knockout stage.

Following the World Cup, Babar stepped down from the captaincy in all formats. Shaheen Shah Afridi was appointed as the T20 captain but faced early removal after a disappointing 4-1 series loss to New Zealand. Babar was later reinstated as the white-ball captain, while Shan Masood retained the Test captaincy.

The recent T20 World Cup 2024 further compounded the team's woes, as Pakistan suffered a shocking defeat in their opening match against co-hosts USA on a challenging surface in New York. This loss proved pivotal, resulting in Pakistan failing to advance beyond the group stage.