A devoted fan gifted a specially crafted crown to former Pakistan captain and star batter Babar Azam, the image capturing the moment took the internet by storm.
Babar, who recently relinquished Pakistan’s captaincy from all three formats, continued to get unwavering support from his passionate fans.
The right-handed batter is one of the top batters in the world and is often compared with the likes of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson.
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For his unreal consistency, he is also called “The King” by a large number of fans.
Meanwhile, in the latest turn of events, one of his fans presented him with a crown.
“A lucky fan got to meet Babar Azam and gave him a crown,” the user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
A lucky fan got to meet King Babar Azam and gave him a crown. pic.twitter.com/nelGbm4Qhg
— Nawaz 🇵🇰 (@Rnawaz31888) November 20, 2023
For the unversed, Babar Azam’s captaincy and his future in the role came under question following the national team’s below-par performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.
The team suffered five losses, the most in their World Cup history, including their first defeat against Afghanistan in ODIs and also their first against South Africa in World Cups this century.
Under the batter’s leadership, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals as they finished fifth in the standings with eight points.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf then met the star batter at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium earlier this month to discuss the leadership options for the national men’s team.
Sources told ARY News that the PCB decided to retain Babar Azam as captain for the upcoming Test series against Australia scheduled to commence on December 14 next month.
However, sources claimed, Babar was not in favour of retaining captaincy for any one format and later announced to step down.
“Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call,” the right-handed batter said in a statement issued on X.
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) November 15, 2023
“I vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I’ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world,” he added.
“I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication,” he said, acknowledging PCB for “entrusting me with this significant responsibility,” Babar Azam concluded.
READ: “Babar Azam made the right decision,” says Kamran Akmal