CARACHI: Babar Azam has no intention of giving up the captaincy in Pakistan despite overseeing a first-ever 3-0 home Test run, saying leading the team is ‘a matter of honour’.
Pakistan lost to England on Tuesday in the third and final Test in Karachi by eight wickets, having lost in the opening two matches by 74 runs at Rawalpindi and 26 at Multan.
It was also the first time Pakistan had lost four Tests in a row, having been beaten by Australia in Lahore in March.
When asked if he would step down as captain to focus on batting, Azam told a press conference that he still enjoys the challenge.
“Being a captain is a matter of honor for me. I will do everything I can for my country and for myself,” he said.
“I enjoy it more when I’m under pressure and it doesn’t affect my stick.”
But Azam acknowledged his disappointment with the outcome of the series.
“We couldn’t apply ourselves in the series,” said Azam, who suffered his sixth loss in 16 Tests as skipper.
“I keep Pakistan first and the rest after. So that motive and my goal is paramount,” he said.
He was also supportive of the players and team management, saying he was confident they would bounce back.
“I will defend the other players as captain. I will take that front…I will be there for the others.”
But he urged his teammates to rise to the challenge.
“Coaches give us plans and we have to execute them. It’s up to the players to step in,” he said.
Azam, however, regretted the loss to injury of key bowlers – particularly Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed every game in the series, and Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, who were out of the bottom two.
“We were unhappy that our main fast bowlers were out of shape and the new players we played couldn’t perform the way we wanted,” he said.
Pakistan next face New Zealand in two Tests, the first in Karachi starting on December 26.
Pakistan lost to England on Tuesday in the third and final Test in Karachi by eight wickets, having lost in the opening two matches by 74 runs at Rawalpindi and 26 at Multan.
It was also the first time Pakistan had lost four Tests in a row, having been beaten by Australia in Lahore in March.
When asked if he would step down as captain to focus on batting, Azam told a press conference that he still enjoys the challenge.
“Being a captain is a matter of honor for me. I will do everything I can for my country and for myself,” he said.
“I enjoy it more when I’m under pressure and it doesn’t affect my stick.”
But Azam acknowledged his disappointment with the outcome of the series.
“We couldn’t apply ourselves in the series,” said Azam, who suffered his sixth loss in 16 Tests as skipper.
“I keep Pakistan first and the rest after. So that motive and my goal is paramount,” he said.
He was also supportive of the players and team management, saying he was confident they would bounce back.
“I will defend the other players as captain. I will take that front…I will be there for the others.”
But he urged his teammates to rise to the challenge.
“Coaches give us plans and we have to execute them. It’s up to the players to step in,” he said.
Azam, however, regretted the loss to injury of key bowlers – particularly Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed every game in the series, and Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, who were out of the bottom two.
“We were unhappy that our main fast bowlers were out of shape and the new players we played couldn’t perform the way we wanted,” he said.
Pakistan next face New Zealand in two Tests, the first in Karachi starting on December 26.
