Babar Azam, one of Pakistan's most celebrated cricketers, has stepped down as captain of the national ODI and T20 teams. His announcement, made via social media on Wednesday, marks the second time Babar has resigned from his leadership role, having first stepped down following last year's ODI World Cup. He was reappointed as captain before the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean, but Pakistan once again failed to perform, even losing to the USA.

Babar made this decision because he wants to concentrate on his personal life and batting. He acknowledged that taking on the extra responsibility of captaincy was having a negative impact on his performance. He plans to reclaim his focus and concentrate on becoming a better player by stepping down. He conveyed his excitement for the future of his playing career along with his sincere thanks to the fans in a heartfelt letter via twitter.

Former South African icon AB de Villiers responded to Babar's statement with encouragement, acknowledging that the decision might help the Pakistani star return to peak form. " “Congrats. You’ve been great. Now for plenty more runs for your team.” said cricket mr 360 via his official x (twitter)