Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam has said that the decision on captaincy lies with the Pakistan Cricket Board after the team’s dismal performance and early exit from the T20 World Cup.

“When I gave up the captaincy [in 2023], I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it and I announced it myself,” he said at the post-match press conference in Florida on Sunday.

“Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB. When I go back, we will discuss all that has happened here. And if I have to leave the captaincy, I will announce it openly. I will not hide behind anything. Whatever happens will happen in the open. But for now, I have not thought about it. It is eventually PCB’s decision.”

He was talking to reporters after the team managed to win its final match of the mega event against Ireland. Pakistan restricted the opponent team to a small total but struggled to chase the target. Cameos from tailenders, Abbas Afridi and Shaheen Shah Afridi, lead the side to victory.

The Green Shirts bowlers performed better than the batters in the tournament. They faced a humiliating defeat to the USA in the opening match and failed to chase a meagre target of 120 against arch-rivals India.

The match between the USA and Ireland abandoned by rain dashed Pakistan’s hopes in the tournament as the two sides shared a point each. A win by Ireland could have kept the Babar XI alive in the event.

When asked, the skipper said that the team did not lose matches because of one person. “We win and lose as a team. You are pointing out that [I am] the captain, but I cannot play in every player’s place,” he said.

Babar added that the team comprises 11 players and each of them has a role. “I think we have not been able to play well as a team. We have to settle down and accept that we didn’t play well as a team.”

He admitted that the batters did not turn up to the expectations of the team and fans. “As a team, we were not able to click.”

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The skipper also mentioned the drop-in pitches, making it difficult for batters to put up a big total on the scoreboard.

He reiterated that a single player cannot be blamed for the team’s disastrous performance.

“You can’t put the blame on one person. We didn’t play well as a team. We did well in patches. Everybody is disappointed. We are as disappointed as the fans. It is not one individual’s fault,” Babar said.