The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reappointed Babar Azam as the captain of the men’s Test team, replacing Shan Masood ahead of the side’s upcoming ICC World Test Championship fixtures. The decision marks Babar’s return to Test leadership after stepping down from the role in 2023.
Shan Masood pays the price for poor results
Masood’s tenure came to an end after Pakistan struggled for consistency under his leadership. The team won only one of its six Test series, with defeats against Australia and Bangladesh proving particularly costly. Pakistan also finished at the bottom of the previous World Test Championship standings.
🚨 BABAR BACK TO BUSINESS 🚨
– Babar Azam is practicing with the newly installed, state-of-the-art Trueman 3 bowling machine at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.🇵🇰🔥 pic.twitter.com/xRiyKXHi7W— Mian Ahmad (@aHmADmIaN150) July 6, 2026
Although Masood delivered useful performances with the bat, the selectors felt the team’s overall results did not meet expectations. Chief selector Aaqib Javed said the panel unanimously agreed that a change in leadership was needed and backed Babar Azam to guide the team forward.
Babar set for crucial overseas assignments
Babar will begin his second stint as Test captain with a two-match series against the West Indies, followed by a challenging three-Test tour of England. The PCB believes his experience and leadership can help Pakistan bounce back in the new World Test Championship cycle.
Still, this moment feels unreal.
The same Aqib Javed who dropped Babar from Test cricket against the will of the captain and coach had to announce Babar as captain after two years.
Indeed, Allah is the Best of Planners 🤍pic.twitter.com/jBEQEPFvCS— Hassan Abbasian (@HassanAbbasian) July 6, 2026
Despite losing the captaincy, Shan Masood has retained his place in the Test squad. The selectors have shown confidence in his batting while handing the responsibility of leading the side back to Babar.
Pakistan will now look to improve its red-ball fortunes under Babar’s leadership as it faces two important overseas series that could shape its World Test Championship campaign.
