Former cricketer Younis Khan has advocated for Fakhar Zaman to replace Babar Azam as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team following their disappointing exit from the ICC T20 World Cup. Pakistan, who were runners-up in the 2022 edition, failed to progress beyond the group stage this time around, suffering a shock defeat to the USA and a narrow loss to arch-rivals India.
Younis Khan highlighted Fakhar Zaman's contributions, particularly in the 2023 World Cup in India, where his performance improved significantly in the latter stages of the tournament. Zaman's aggressive starts at the top of the order were instrumental in keeping Pakistan competitive. Despite his initial struggles in the World Cup, Zaman's resurgence mirrored Pakistan's late push in the tournament, although it wasn't enough to secure further advancement.
Babar Azam, who has been leading Pakistan since 2019, expressed his intention to continue as the team's captain despite their early exit from the T20 World Cup. Under Babar's captaincy, Pakistan has played 85 T20Is, winning 48 and losing 29 matches. His leadership tenure includes navigating through various challenges, but the recent World Cup performance has sparked discussions about potential leadership changes.
Younis Khan's endorsement of Fakhar Zaman for captaincy underscores the desire for new leadership and a fresh approach in Pakistan cricket. Zaman's ability to adapt and perform under pressure, as demonstrated in the World Cup campaigns, aligns with the qualities sought after for a captaincy role. However, any decision regarding captaincy changes ultimately lies with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and their assessment of the team's future direction and leadership needs.