LAHORE: The Chairman of the Management Committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf, arranged a one-on-one meeting with former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed on Friday.
Sources indicate that Mr. Zaka will engage in a private meeting with the former captain, and it is speculated to be a significant discussion regarding the potential replacement of Babar Azam as captain and the absence of senior cricketers in the national team.
Recent reports suggest that Babar Azam is likely to be removed from the captaincy role, a development that has reverberated throughout the cricketing community. This decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing performance and a series of lackluster results in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
After winning the first two games, Pakistan suffered three consecutive defeats, with the recent loss to Afghanistan being particularly hard to digest for fans and former cricketers.
PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf has recently held meetings with former cricketers, including Aaqib Javed, Mohammad Yousaf, and PCB Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, seeking expert advice on improving player development.
The one-on-one meeting with Sarfaraz Ahmed is seen as crucial for the future leadership of the cricket team. Notably, under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, Karachi Whites secured their fifth Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title.
Today, a struggling Pakistan side will face South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. South Africa is second on the points table, while Pakistan is currently sixth after successive defeats to India, Australia, and Afghanistan.
With Babar Azam’s side needing to win all remaining matches and rely on other teams’ results to secure a spot in the semi-finals, there is speculation that Babar Azam might be replaced as captain if Pakistan fails to qualify for the World Cup. The world’s number one ODI batsman, Babar Azam, will be aiming to make a statement with his performance.
