Babar Azam extends US stay as team departs after T20 World Cup exit

Following Pakistan's premature exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, Babar Azam, the team's captain, along with five teammates, have opted to prolong their stay in the United States while the rest of the squad prepares to depart for home.

Apart from the skipper, who will return to Pakistan on June 22, the players remaining in the US are Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan.

Amir is scheduled to depart for England shortly to join the Derbyshire county cricket club. Meanwhile, coach Gary Kirsten will also be heading home following the team's failure to progress to the Super 8 stage of the tournament.

The remaining squad will depart from Miami tonight, traveling on separate flights via Dubai to reach Pakistan on the morning of June 19.

Earlier, Babar expressed his readiness to step down as Pakistan's white-ball captain in light of the team's disappointing performance in the tournament. Reflecting on the team's struggles during a post-match press conference in Florida after the match against Ireland, Babar emphasized the collective failure of the team rather than individual shortcomings.

"While I haven't made a final decision regarding the captaincy, I'm open to stepping down if deemed necessary by the board," Babar stated, addressing speculation about his future role. These remarks coincided with reports suggesting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is contemplating adjustments to players' central contracts due to the team's subpar showing.

According to sources, players with underwhelming performances may face demotion in their central contracts following consultations between senior board officials and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.