Islamabad, Oct 3: South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has shown his support for Babar Azam’s decision to step down as the captain of Pakistan’s white-ball teams.
De Villiers, who praised Babar’s leadership, expressed optimism about Babar’s future as a key batsman for Pakistan. In a social media post, de Villiers congratulated Babar on his tenure as captain, writing, “Congrats. You’ve been great. Now for plenty more runs for your team.”
Babar Azam’s resignation marks the second time in 10 months that he has relinquished his captaincy role.
In his statement, Babar explained that the increased responsibilities of leadership had affected his performance, and stepping down would allow him to focus more on his batting.
He notified the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of his decision in September, saying, “Playing for Pakistan has always been my greatest honour. Stepping down as captain will help me deliver even more for the team as a player.”
The PCB has acknowledged Babar’s contributions as a leader and is now working on appointing a new captain for Pakistan’s white-ball formats.
