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Babar Azam PIC:X
Xtra Time Web Desk :Babar Azam has confirmed he is not resigning from the Pakistan captaincy following their exit from World Cup. The announcement came after Pakistan's final match at the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida, where they failed to advance to the Super 8s, finishing outside the top two in Group A. This group was led by India and co-hosts USA.

The Pakistani team, which were runners-up in the 2022 edition in Australia, were anticipated to at least reach the Super 8s. They were grouped with India, the USA, Ireland, and Canada. Initially, it seemed the primary challenge would come from India, but the reality proved different. In their opening match, Pakistan faced a shocking defeat to the USA in a Super Over. A subsequent loss to arch-rivals India in New York further complicated their chances of advancing, as India and the USA secured the top spots in the group.

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The exit has sparked considerable scrutiny of Babar Azam's captaincy, with many questioning his leadership. There are suggestions that he might be replaced, similar to what happened after the 2023 ODI World Cup. Following Pakistan's exit from the ODI World Cup in India last year, Babar voluntarily stepped down from his leadership role. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then appointed Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood as white-ball and red-ball captains, respectively.

Shaheen Afridi's initial stint as T20I captain resulted in a 4-1 series loss in New Zealand, leading to his dismissal. The newly appointed PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, subsequently reinstated Babar Azam as captain. However, the team has since struggled to secure consistent victories.

In their final match of the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan narrowly defeated Ireland. Post-match, Babar Azam addressed questions about his future as captain. He expressed that he should not have been reappointed as captain in April and that any further decisions would be made after discussions with the PCB upon their return to Pakistan.

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"When I left captaincy previously, I felt that I shouldn't be captain anymore and announced it myself. When PCB gave it back, that was their decision. Now we'll go back and have a discussion about what all has happened here. If I leave captaincy again then I will inform everyone. For now, I haven't thought about it and the decision is up to PCB," Babar stated to reporters.