In Lahore, Babar Azam has conveyed his request to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to maintain his position as the team's captain and retain Shadab Khan as vice-captain.
This request came during a review session led by PCB chief Zaka Ashraf after Pakistan's disappointing exit from the 2023 Asia Cup. The Green Shirts' early exit, particularly the loss to arch-rivals India and the subsequent failure to reach the final, has put the performances of senior players, including Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan, in question.
Consequently, the announcement of Pakistan's squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 has been delayed. The team management is currently in discussions to finalize the squad, taking into account players' performances and injuries during the Asia Cup.
According to sources from Geo News, both Babar Azam and Director Mickey Arthur acknowledged that their regional tournament loss was due to a "flawed strategy." Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq was notably absent from the meeting. Babar Azam pointed out that extensive travel and adverse weather conditions had impacted the team's preparations.
He mentioned that the team had been on a winning trajectory before the Asia Cup. "Arthur acknowledged fitness and middle-order issues but admitted they lacked a plan for the World Cup and wanted to approach it with better planning," the sources revealed.
During the meeting, fast bowling coach Morne Morkel proposed the idea of hiring a separate coach for spinners. It's worth noting that under ICC rules, all cricket boards must finalize their World Cup teams by September 28 for the upcoming mega event.