Azhar Ali said he was desperate to resurrect his fortunes with the bat ahead of the 2019 World Cup after giving up the Pakistan one-day captaincy. Sarfraz Ahmed, the Twenty20 International skipper, will now take over as reigns of the ODI side.
The 31-year-old was already under serious pressure to step down following Pakistan’s dismal 4-1 series loss in Australia in January but on Thursday he offered his resignation from the high-pressure job to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan.
“I want to focus more on batting,” Azhar told AFP. “That’s why I also left the Test vice-captaincy as this is the right time to further improve my batting.”
Azhar managed just 37 runs in the three one-day internationals he played in Australia while he missed two matches through injury.
“I am honoured to have led Pakistan. I tried my best but results did not come,” added Azhar, who was surprisingly appointed after Misbah-ul-Haq quit ODIs following Pakistan’s quarter-final exit at the 2015 World Cup.
He was not even part of the one-day team for 15 months before being made captain. His tenure was also marred by the 3-0 whitewash to Bangladesh, the first time Pakistan had ever lost a series against Bangladesh.
{{/usCountry}}He was not even part of the one-day team for 15 months before being made captain. His tenure was also marred by the 3-0 whitewash to Bangladesh, the first time Pakistan had ever lost a series against Bangladesh.
{{/usCountry}}Overall, he skippered Pakistan in 31 matches, losing 18 and winning 12 with one no result. That period also saw Pakistan drop as low as ninth in the one-day rankings. Their current ranking is eighth and they face the threat of losing out on direct qualification for the 2019 Wold Cup in England.
The top seven teams -- plus hosts England -- on the cut-off date of September 30 this year will get direct entry to the World Cup. The four remaining teams will play a qualifying round in 2018.
Azhar said it was time to move on in his career.
“It was like swimming against the tide which was not correct. I think this is not the right team to seek the captaincy or vice-captaincy.”
Pakistan’s next assignment is a three-match one-day series in the West Indies followed by two Twenty20 internationals and three Tests.