5 players who can replace Babar Azam as Pakistan skipper post 2023 World Cup

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has failed to impress the fans with his leadership skills in the 2023 World Cup so far. Azam led the team to wins against Netherlands and Sri Lanka in the first two matches, but after that, the Men in Green have suffered defeats at the hands of India, Australia and Afghanistan.

Pakistan's loss to Afghanistan has brought Babar Azam's captaincy under the spotlight. Afghanistan had never defeated the Men in Green in an ODI match before, but yesterday in Chennai, the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led outfit beat Pakistan by eight wickets.

Even in the Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan finished last in the Super Fours round after suffering defeats against India and Sri Lanka. The Men in Green have some world-class players in their squad, but it looks like Babar Azam is not able to utilise them to their full potential, especially in the ODI format.

If Pakistan fails to qualify for the semifinals in the 2023 World Cup, one of the following five names could replace Babar Azam as Pakistan's ODI skipper:

---

#1 Shaheen Afridi can take over the team's reins from Babar Azam

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been quite impressive as the captain of the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Under his leadership, Lahore have won back-to-back championships.

Afridi has been the leader of Pakistan's bowling attack for quite some time. Perhaps, the team management can entrust him with the responsibility of leading the side as well.

---

#2 Mohammad Rizwan

It has been proven time and again that wicketkeepers are among the best readers of the game. Several wicketkeepers like MS Dhoni, Jos Buttler, Sarfaraz Ahmed and KL Rahul have achieved success as captains of their respective teams.

Mohammad Rizwan is one of the most experienced names in the Pakistan squad. He has a good working relationship with Babar Azam, which could also ensure a smooth transition in the leadership group.

---

#3 Shadab Khan

All-rounder Shadab Khan is currently the vice-captain of Pakistan's ODI team. Khan captained the Men in Green in their warm-up match against Australia before the 2023 World Cup.

If the team management considers Shadab worthy to lead Pakistan in Babar Azam's absence, they can also appoint him as his successor. The all-rounder is yet to captain Pakistan in an ODI match.

---

#4 Imad Wasim

If Pakistan fails to finish in the Top 6 of the 2023 World Cup points table, the team management could hit the reboot button and form a whole new squad with all-rounder Imad Wasim as the captain.

Wasim has captained Pakistan in ODIs before. He understands the 50-over format well and is considered to be a fighter, which is why he can be an option to lead the team.

---

#5 Aamer Yamin

If Pakistan's team management wants to think out of the box, they can consider electing Aamer Yamin as the new captain of the ODI team. In case you didn't know, Yamin led Central Punjab to the Pakistan Cup trophy in the latest edition of the 50-over domestic tournament.

He has played only four ODIs for Pakistan, but the next ICC ODI event is still two years away. If given enough opportunities, Yamin could bring about a significant change in Pakistan's ODI performances.