Babar Azam has been named as the new Test captain of Pakistan.
He replaces Azhar Ali to become his country’s skipper across all three formats.
Azhar had led Pakistan against England in the summer but now hands over the Babar following a meeting with PCB chairman Ehsan Mani.
Babar’s first action as the new captain will see him visit New Zealand in ICC World Test Championship games in December and January.
After his appointment, Babar said: “I feel truly honoured to have been appointed Test captain and join some of the most iconic players who have captained Pakistan in the purest format of the game.
“I can now say with conviction that dreams can come true only if you chase them with honesty, dedication and commitment.
“I'm ready and prepared to take up the additional responsibility and the fact which gives me additional confidence that I can do the job is the experience available to me in the changing room.
“I want to thank Azhar Ali for the way he captained the team in the last season. I know that he will leave no stone unturned in giving his very best to the team.”
Pakistan Looking to the Future
PCB chairman Ehsan Mani has said a big factor in the decision was that Pakistan are looking to the future with Babar at the helm.
“Babar Azam was identified at a very young age as a future leader and as part of his progression and development, he was appointed white-ball captain last year,” Mani said.
“With his consistent performance and leadership skills, he has demonstrated that he is ready to take on the additional responsibilities of a captain.
“As we are looking into the future, it is appropriate that we appoint him the captain now so that he continues to grow stronger with every match.
“I wish Babar all the best and remain optimistic that he will help Pakistan cricket make an upward movement across all formats, not only through his performance but also with his positive attitude and result-oriented approach.
“I want to thank Azhar Ali for stepping up last year by captaining the side in what was a historic first home Test series in over a decade.”
