 "Pakistan cricket: Shaheen to lead in T20Is, Masood gets Tests captaincy")
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a string of changes in the Pakistan cricket team just after Babar Azam resigned from captaincy from all formats. PCB appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as their new T20I captain and Shan Masood as the country's cricket team Test captain. With no ODIs scheduled in the near future, the PCB has yet to name a captain for the format. The PCB said that Pakistan's captain in the ODI format will be announced in due course of time.
Check South Africa vs Australia World Cup semifinal 2023 full scorecard here
Meanwhile, Former cricketer Mohammed Hafeez has been appointed as the Director of Cricket for Pakistan.
Pakistan lost five of their nine games, including a shock defeat to Afghanistan in the World Cup 2023, bringing Babar's leadership under the scanner.
The 34-year-old Masood has featured in 30 Tests, scoring 1,597 runs, which includes four centuries and seven half-centuries, but was overlooked for the Asia Cup and World Cup. The PCB said that Masood was appointed captain until the end of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.
His first assignment will be a three-match Test series in Australia starting December 14.
Shaheen Afridi, T20I captain
Afridi's first assignment as captain will be the five-match T20I series in New Zealand from January 12 to 21. The 23-year-old Afridi has captained Lahore Qalandars to two Pakistan Super League titles in the last two years.
PCB sacked Babar Azam from white-ball captaincy
The board also confirmed that when Babar met with chairman Ashraf, he was relieved of the captaincy of only the white ball formats and was told to lead in Test matches, an offer which he turned down.
Experts and critics had called for a change of guard and Babar was summoned for a post-mortem of the team's performance by PCB's management committee head Zaka Ashraf.
Babar clarified that he will support the new skipper in every way possible.
"I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication. I want to express my sincere thanks to Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility," he added.
Turmoil in Pakistan cricket
Ashraf, on his part, also copped a lot of flak when he issued a statement in the middle of the tournament that the squad selected for World Cup was done at the behest of erstwhile chairman Inzamam ul Haq and skipper Babar.
He had mentioned that a decision would be taken at the end of the tournament and it was clear that Babar didn't have PCB's back.
Babar captaincy record
During his tenure, Pakistan became No. 1 ranked team in ODIs on the back of some solid performances at home on placid pitches against second-string teams from SENA countries and relatively weaker Asian teams.
"Reaching the No. 1 spot in white ball formats was a result of collective effort of players, coaches and management," he stated.
He was made the captain in 2019 and he admitted that he has experienced both highs and lows after he first got a call from PCB informing of their decision of appointing him the leader of the national team.
"Over the past four years, I have experienced many highs and lows on and off the field but I have wholeheartedly and passionately tried to maintain Pakistan's pride and respect in cricket world," he said.