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PCB decides to ‘sack’ Babar Azam as captain after World Cup fiasco

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  • Shan Masood likely captain for upcoming Australia Test series.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi expected to lead Pakistan in NZ T20 series.
  • Babar Azam to be sacked as captain of all three formats.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to remove Babar Azam as the captain from all formats, sources told Geo News Tuesday night, ending his years-long stint in the leading position.

The decision comes after Pakistan failed to make it to the semi-finals in the ongoing World Cup, courtesy of their below-par performance in all three departments — batting, bowling, and fielding.

The sources said if Babar decides to submit his resignation, the board would accept it, otherwise, PCB will sack him from the post.

They added that Shan Masood is a strong candidate for the captain’s slot in the upcoming Test series against Australia and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the T20I series in New Zealand.

Shaheen might also lead the Green Shirts in next year’s T20 World Cup, the sources said.

Babar was appointed white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2021, but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.

Although the Pakistan team went into the World Cup ranked as the top side, they failed to prove their mettle and crashed out of the tournament in the group stage.

Throwing his support behind “depressed” Babar after the Green Shirts’ failure in the World Cup, the team’s director Mickey Arthur had said that it’s not a “crime to make mistakes”.

The skipper is scheduled to meet PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf later today and it is expected that an announcement related to his captaincy will be made after it.

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Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledges difficulties during the death overs.

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Following Pakistan’s triumph over South Africa in the tri-nation series, Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledged the issue of death bowling.

In response to the injury concern, the left-arm pacer stated, “My finger is fine; I underwent an X-ray.” Some swelling persists, but I anticipate improvement shortly. These matches are essential for preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Commenting on his interaction with a South African batsman, Shaheen stated, “For the first time, he remained silent.” I was the one instigating him to lose his wicket.

Prioritizing collective effort over personal achievements, Shaheen stated, “This is not about Babar or Shaheen—it is about Pakistan.” “The presence of negativity will hinder progress in any context.”

During Wednesday’s match, tensions escalated when Shaheen Shah Afridi confronted Matthew Breetzke, necessitating intervention from the on-field umpire and other players to separate them.

During a crucial tri-series encounter at Karachi’s National Stadium, South African batsman Matthew Breetzke and Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi engaged in a contentious confrontation. Matthew Breetzke and Shaheen Shah Afridi were engaged in a confrontational exchange in a video that gained widespread attention on social media.

Matthew Breetzke, who scored a century in the previous match against New Zealand in Lahore, edged a delivery to the onside in the 28th over of the innings. Shaheen Afridi appeared displeased when the 26-year-old nearly collided with the left-arm fast bowler while dashing between the wickets to converse with Breetzke.

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The Champions Trophy and Tri-Nation series traffic strategy for Karachi has been released.

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While alternate routes and designated parking spots have been set up to ensure seamless traffic flow, the traffic police say Sir Shah Suleman Road would remain open for regular traffic on match days.

Travellers from Karsaz can park their cars beneath the flyover at the China Ground and National Coaching Centre.

Parking for those travelling from Millennium will also be available at China Ground and the National Coaching Centre.

The same parking lots are open to New Town visitors.

To prevent any disruption, Karachi Police have stressed that cars should only be parked in approved spots. For a hassle-free commute on match days, commuters are encouraged to plan their routes appropriately and heed traffic police instructions.

Traffic Diversions: To alleviate congestion on match days, heavy traffic will be rerouted from Sohrab Goth to Nipa and Liaquatabad No. 10 to Hassan Square. There will also be a rerouting of heavy vehicles from People’s Chowrangi via University Road.

Heavy Traffic Restricted Roads: The following roads will not be open to heavy traffic:

Millennium to New Town Stadium Signal to Hassan Square Karsaz to Stadium

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FIFA once again suspends membership in the Pakistan Football Federation.

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Pakistan was immediately barred from participating in international tournaments as a result of the ruling, and FIFA stopped providing financial support.

FIFA said in a statement that the PFF’s refusal to enact changes that would guarantee free and fair elections was the reason for the suspension. FIFA claimed that in order to fulfill the federation’s responsibilities under the current normalization process, the constitutional amendments were required.

According to FIFA’s statement, “the suspension will only be lifted if the PFF Congress approves the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC.”

In the past, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has suggested changes to the PFF Constitution, namely with relation to the election procedure. But the most recent censure came after the PFF Congress rejected the suggested changes.

The PFF was not the first time FIFA had taken action against them. The governing body suspended the federation in April 2021 for violating FIFA laws and allowing excessive third-party meddling. After verifying that the Normalization Committee had reclaimed control of the PFF’s offices and finances, FIFA lifted the ban in June 2022.

Issues with governance remained in spite of earlier attempts. In order to guarantee fair elections and sound governance within the PFF, FIFA has recently stepped up its efforts to modify the constitution. Nevertheless, opposition from the PFF Congress resulted in thelatest disciplinary action.  

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