Should Babar Azam captain Karachi Kings in PSL 5?

[Boiz Played Well]

By the time PSL 5 will wrap up, there will only be 7 months remaining before the T20 World Cup starts.

We will have only a handful of T20 games remaining, which include a series against Ireland. Not that they aren’t a good side, but 10 games captaining in a high-profile tournament with and against the likes of Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Munro, Russell, Steyn and others is far better experience IMO.

Removing Sarfraz from captaincy is in the past now, but we can’t go from a guy who captained in 11 series victories to a captain who just plays as opener in our own franchise tournament.

Whether it’s KK’s call to make or PCB to exert some influence they should make sure Babar is made captain. If he can’t captain at KK, he should be let go to captain elsewhere. LQ, IU, PZ, MS can all arguably do with new captains.

I like Imad Wasim and have nothing against his leadership. If he was made T20I captain I would’ve made the same argument for him to retain captaincy. But Babar NEEDS to captain now for the sake of the national team. More so than Misbah needs to coach IU to gain experience. On-ground strategic and tactical decisions in T20s are made by captains mostly and it’s Babar who needs the most practice for the sake of Pakistan.

What do you guys think?

 

[Rana]

Makes no sense if he doesn't. How can the captain of your national team not be the captain of a Pakistani T20 franchise?

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Should captain Lahore.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Makes no sense if he doesn't. How can the captain of your national team not be the captain of a Pakistani T20 franchise?

I don't know if KK are attached to demoting Imad Wasim just yet. But it feels Babar needs the experience more so they should collectively make the call. If this was PSL4 it wouldn't have mattered as much. But I feel it does so now.

 

[Titan24]

Should captain Lahore.

I agree. Imad is a decent captain himself and should captain KK while Babar needs to be transferred and captain the side where he gets transferred. As KK will have to let go of atleast one of Babar, Imad and Amir.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Should captain Lahore.

If Babar leads Qalandars to victory we might win both the T20 World Cups. Semis if they don't finish sixth this time

 

[Boiz Played Well]

Should captain Lahore.

But jokes aside that would be fine too. Anywhere he can lead.

 

[Green Patriot]

He should lead.
No two ways about it.

 

[Abdullah]

Off course. He has to captain

 

[The Viper]

He definitely needs to be captaining.

Babar needs as much games as possible to develop the art of captaincy.

 

[Boiz Played Well]

He definitely needs to be captaining.

Babar needs as much games as possible to develop the art of captaincy.

He could go elsewhere too but I think at KK with Deano he’ll have the best chance of a T20 crash course. Needs some times away from Misbah and while LQ could be an option, I don’t know about Aqib.

 

[Danyaalr01]

It's a no brainer. Of course he should captain. He is the captain of the national side and needs the experience. It will do him a lot of good if he captains a team in a competitive tournament, it will be a warm up for the world cup.

 

[Hasan123]

He should captain whichever team he plays for . It will be good for him to get as much experience as possible.

 

[Barragan]

Imad is a better captain and franchises are not obliged to follow what the pcb does.

Franchises are heavily investing in their teams and they will make the best decisions for their team.

Completely up to them whether they keep Imad or appoint Babar.

 

[Saj]

You'd expect your national T20 captain to be captaining one of the PSL franchises.

Strange if he doesn't.

 

[Abdullah719]

Imad Wasim announced as captain, Babar Azam to be vice-captain.

 

[angrypathan]

Madness

 

[Barragan]

Imad is a better captain and franchises are not obliged to follow what the pcb does.

Franchises are heavily investing in their teams and they will make the best decisions for their team.

Completely up to them whether they keep Imad or appoint Babar.

As I mentioned here, franchises pay top dollar and will appoint the best person for the job.

Imad just recently won the T20 tournament with Northern, whilst Babar flopped with CP.

Imad is obviously the better choice, hence no surprises.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Imad Wasim announced as captain, Babar Azam to be vice-captain.

What a dumb decision!

 

[QalandarFan]

Well lads only in Pakistan will your LOI Captain not find a way to captain in the country's franchise cricket.

 

[sshakir411]

It’s KK’s call on who becomes captain. The fact that Babar is the national team captain shouldn’t matter at all

 

[coy0607]

It’s KK’s call on who becomes captain. The fact that Babar is the national team captain shouldn’t matter at all

In a perfect world, yes, that would be right. But in the real world, particularly in a society as political as Pakistan, this could have terrible ramifications. Pak cricket has a rich history of groupings between potential captains / power players

 

[Titan24]

PCB needs to put in Babar’s contract that which ever team needs to draft him will have to make him captain. PSL is for Pakistan cricket and national T20 captain not leading the side in that is just pure nonsense. His lack of experience under pressure was pretty evident and in PSL he would have faced many similar situations which could have prepared him better.

 

[ahmed16]

The fact that he isn't captain of his PSL team might be an indication that even at that level, he's not considered captaincy material. Just something to note.

Otherwise, it's strange that a national captain isn't captaining a team in his countries premier t20 league. To my knowledge Virat Kohli has captained RCB to failure after failure and never been removed from that post (most likely because he is captain of the national side across all formats).

 

[shamaan]

He should captain defo maybe he needs to look for another franchise

 

[Titan24]

High time for Babar to captain a franchise in PSL 6 as I have been saying before as well. A national captain should have that in his contract and any franchise would love to have Babar and give him captaincy.

 

[shamaan]

High time for Babar to captain a franchise in PSL 6 as I have been saying before as well. A national captain should have that in his contract and any franchise would love to have Babar and give him captaincy.

Defo he should go to another franchise but I dont think karachi will allow him to

 

[proud_pakistani]

He should be but at the same time you can not force Karachi Kings to make him the captain.

I think Karachi are comfortable with Imad as captain and he did a good job last time so Id be surprised if Babar was made captain. Only way it would happen is if PCB somehow requested KK to do that which is beyond their jurisdiction.

 

[shamaan]

He should be but at the same time you can not force Karachi Kings to make him the captain.

I think Karachi are comfortable with Imad as captain and he did a good job last time so Id be surprised if Babar was made captain. Only way it would happen is if PCB somehow requested KK to do that which is beyond their jurisdiction.

Proberly needs to have honest conversation with KK and get KK to allow him to play for another franchise have a mutual consent

 

[MenInG]

So now the captain in all three formats but strangely cannot displace Imad Wasim?

 

[ahmadharis1]

I'm gonna get attacked for saying this but I'd rather have Imad Wasim be captain of Pakistan's ODI and T20 teams.

 

[Hasan123]

For the next PSL he should be KK captain if he stays with them.

 

[shamaan]

For the next PSL he should be KK captain if he stays with them.

What if KK dont want him captain

 

[Titan24]

What if KK dont want him captain

As I suggested, it should be added to Babar’s contract by PCB so that if any team wants to select him or KK wants to retain him it should be as captain. Babar Azam is the most marketable player in Pakistan cricket, so any franchise would love to have him as captain.

 

[MMHS]

KK needs him more as batsman than captain. PCB doesn’t have much say on whom they appoint captain - he is already captain of every cricket played for any team under PCB, he won’t be missing this one much.

 

[Hasan123]

What if KK dont want him captain

I would prefer for him to be at another franchise if that's the case. But if KK does not want him as captain not much we can do.

 

[naseem]

Yes why not......

 

[shamaan]

I would prefer for him to be at another franchise if that's the case. But if KK does not want him as captain not much we can do.

Yes we all want him to be in another franchise but I dont think he will demand the captincy hes not that type.

 

[shamaan]

As I suggested, it should be added to Babar’s contract by PCB so that if any team wants to select him or KK wants to retain him it should be as captain. Babar Azam is the most marketable player in Pakistan cricket, so any franchise would love to have him as captain.

Good suggestion but can the pcb but that in his contract will the franchise challenge that

 

[shamaan]

KK needs him more as batsman than captain. PCB doesn’t have much say on whom they appoint captain - he is already captain of every cricket played for any team under PCB, he won’t be missing this one much.

Like titan24 stated can they put in his contract can the franchise challenge that

 

[MenInG]

Imad Wasim speaking on Babar Azam as Pakistan captain, playing under his captaincy

"There is no one happier than I about Babar being captain for all three formats for Pakistan; As you all know, we are very close friends; I have said this many times before that we are friends and like brothers and whenever he is captaining for Pakistan and needs my advice he approaches me; Similarly, if for Karachi Kings, I will go to him if I need advice - its as simple as that; I will always support him as captain, and he will always support me as his captain too"

 

[moghul]

Imas is a better captain than Babar . Babar is a better player and his position in the national team is not under any question. Imads place in National team is not a sure shot . Even then , Imad would have been a good choice as captain of national T20 team .

 

[angrypathan]

Should be captaining a PSL side.

 

[Ellipsism]

I guess communication with foreign players would be an issue for him, and hence why he hasn’t been made captain for KK.

 

[world cup captain]

Imas is a better captain than Babar . Babar is a better player and his position in the national team is not under any question. Imads place in National team is not a sure shot . Even then , Imad would have been a good choice as captain of national T20 team .

For league cricket, Imad as a captain is an understandable choice. When you get to the national team, Imad hardly passes the fitness tests let alone inspire his team with confidence. With his fitness, he might limp his way to WC 23'.

 

[Saj]

Last over given to Parnell - could be a costly mistake by Imad.