Shoaib Malik backs Babar Azam, names candidate for Pakistan's white-ball captaincy

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik has addressed the ongoing challenges faced by Babar Azam, highlighting the need for the star batsman to remain resilient during this difficult phase. 

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Malik expressed his support for Babar and shared his thoughts on leadership roles within the team.

“Ups and downs are a part of life, especially when you are a cricketer from the subcontinent. He needs to stay strong during this time. I know he has a personality that embraces challenges; right now, it’s a downtime, but good times will come too,” Malik said.

Malik also reassured fans and critics that despite recent part issues, Babar is not distant from him. 

“It’s not that he is far from me; that’s definitely not the case. Whenever he needs to talk or I need to talk, we do,” Malik explained. 

Malik also went on to share his views whether Babar should keep captaincy or not.

“As for his captaincy, my firm stance is that he should play only as a player. That’s my opinion. When he plays as a player, he can do wonders for the team. But in my opinion, he should stay away from leadership,” he further added.

Lastly, Malik also endorsed Fakhar Zaman as a potential candidate for captaincy. 

“According to today’s fearless cricket, Fakhar Zaman should be considered for white ball captaincy because he has the sense and leadership capacity for it," he concluded.