Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel among potential candidates for Pakistan captaincy

After Babar Azam resigned as captain of the Pakistan cricket team, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering a few players for leadership roles.

According to sources, Saud Shakeel, top-order batter Fakhar Zaman, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha are among the candidates being considered for important positions.

It’s important to mention that Shakeel was recently made vice-captain, replacing Muhammad Rizwan, during the two-Test series against Bangladesh. His performance impressed the selectors.

Fakhar Zaman, known for his aggressive batting, has previously led Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and is also being considered for the role.

However, despite his talent, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has not yet taken on any leadership roles at the domestic level.

Earlier, wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan was seen as a potential replacement. However, Gary Kirsten stated that Rizwan may not be able to handle the workload of both playing and leading in all three formats of the game.

In July, Kirsten visited Pakistan for meetings and to give a report on the T20 World Cup, as sources revealed. He also met with Babar Azam to talk about captaincy matters. Kirsten encouraged Babar to continue leading in ODIs during a training camp, but the 29-year-old remained unsure.

According to sources, Babar had distanced himself from the team and felt undervalued. He also wasn’t included in any key decisions after the World Cup. Before making his resignation public, Babar had informed a senior PCB official.

Babar’s decision comes after he faced strong criticism, especially after Pakistan’s poor performance in both the Asia Cup and the World Cup, where they failed to make it to the semifinals.