"No shortage of drama in Pakistan cricket" - Fans react to Babar Azam resigning as white-ball captain

Star Pakistani batter Babar Azam announced his resignation as white-ball captain through social media on Wednesday, October 2. It is the second time in under a year that Babar has relinquished Pakistan's captaincy, evidence of the turmoil in their ranks.

After a dismal 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, the 29-year-old walked away from captaincy across formats, resulting in Pakistan appointing Shan Masood as Test skipper and Shaheen Afridi for the T20Is.

However, in a sudden turn of events, Babar was again made the captain for the white-ball formats a few months before the T20 World Cup. Yet, the Men in Green suffered an embarrassing first-round exit in the tournament, losing to minnows USA.

Ever since, there have been speculations about Babar continuing as captain and finally he decided against the same to focus on his batting.

Fans on X had mixed reactions towards Babar's decision to quit white-ball captaincy.

Here are some of the best:

Another fan reacted to the news of Babar's resignation as white-ball skipper by saying:

"Once again, Babar steps down as captain. No shortage of drama in Pakistan cricket."

"Babar Azam the Batsman Era is coming back soon," a fan tweeted.

"Babar Azam’s legacy as a T20I captain is unmatched," said a fan.

"Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload" - Babar Azam

Babar Azam admitted that captaincy had significantly increased his workload and his decision to step down was to prioritize his performances with the bat.

The champion batter has struggled across formats this year with an average of under 34 and no centuries in 22 outings.

Babar wrote in his social media post:

"Dear Fans, I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. "It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role."

"Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy. By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth," he added.

Babar ended his post by thanking the fans for their unwavering support.

Despite the recent struggles, Babar boasts an impressive record as Pakistan captain, winning 84 and losing 50 in 148 outings.