Salman Butt Supports Babar Azam's Decision to Step Down as Captain

Former cricketer Salman Butt believes Babar Azam's decision to step down as Pakistan's white-ball captain was timely and necessary. Butt emphasized that Azam should focus on his batting to add more value to the team, as Pakistan has struggled in major tournaments under his leadership.

Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt has expressed support for Babar Azam's choice to relinquish his role as the country's white-ball cricket captain. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt stated that Azam made the right decision, which many felt was overdue amidst recent criticism of his leadership.

Babar, who took on the captaincy in 2019, announced his resignation to concentrate on his batting. Butt highlighted the need for Azam to enhance his performance on the field, which would significantly benefit the national team. During Azam's tenure, Pakistan failed to secure any major tournament victories.

Notable recent challenges included Pakistan's elimination from the Asia Cup's Super 4 stage and their inability to advance beyond the ODI World Cup group stage. The change in leadership also saw Shaheen Shah Afridi briefly take over T20I captaincy, although his tenure was short-lived. Babar's return as white-ball captain, however, saw further setbacks, such as the team's early exit in the T20 World Cup 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)