Babar Azam extends stay in US after Pakistan's shock World Cup exit

Babar Azam (Pic: AFP)

After Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign surprisingly ended early in the group stage, captain Babar Azam, with five other players, decided to extend their stay in the United States, according to Geo News.

Babar, along with Imad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan, will leave for Pakistan on June 22.

Mohammad Amir has also stayed behind with the players but will travel to England in a couple of days to join Derbyshire in the County Championship.

It was also reported that Pakistan's white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will return to his home after his team failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage. The rest of the squad will return to Pakistan by boarding their flights from Miami on Monday night.

Pakistan ended their campaign with a three-wicket win over Ireland in Florida on Sunday, a dead rubber after India and USA, from T20 World Cup 2024 Group A, advanced to the Super 8 stage.

Placed in Group A, Pakistan endured back-to-back defeats against the co-hosts USA and then to their bitter rival, India.

They bounced back with two wins on the trot, but it wasn't enough to turn their woeful campaign around and secure a spot in the Super 8.

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After concluding their campaign on a winning note against Ireland on Sunday, Babar acknowledged that Pakistan possesses good players at their disposal, but they failed to deliver as a team.

"We have a good bunch of players. We've to go home, chat and see where we lack, and then come back. Couldn't finish off close games, as a team we weren't good," Babar said in the post-match presentation.

After Pakistan's early exit, questions were raised regarding Babar's future as Pakistan's white-ball captain.

While addressing a press conference, he spoke about his future and assured that he would "openly" tell everyone if he decides to step down as the skipper yet again.

"Secondly - about the captaincy - when I had left it, I thought that I shouldn't be doing it now, that's why I left it, and I announced it myself," Babar said in the post-match press conference.

(With agency inputs)