Will Babar Azam replace Shan Masood as Pakistan's Test captain after whitewash in BAN vs PAK series?

Bangladesh have now whitewashed Pakistan both in the away Test series and at home.

Babar Azam and captaincy talks are back in focus after Pakistan suffered defeat in the second test against Bangladesh in Sylhet on May 20, 2026. With this defeat, Pakistan were also whitewashed by Bangladesh 0-2 in the Test series.

Bangladesh posted 278 runs in the first innings, recovering well from 116/6 thanks to 126 by Litton Das. In response, Pakistan managed only 232 runs with Babar Azam making 68 and Nahid Rana and Taijul Islam taking three wickets each.

In the second innings, Bangladesh posted a good total of 390 runs, thanks to Mushfiqur Rahim’s 137, and half-centuries from Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Liton Das. This meant that Pakistan had to chase a target of 437 runs to win.

Despite 71 each from captain Shan Masood and Salman Agha and an excellent 94 from Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan scored only 358 runs and lost the game by 78 runs. Litton Das was named the Player of the Match, while Mushfiqur Rahim got the Player of the Series.

Shan Masood’s Pakistan captaincy tenure to end soon, Babar Azam tipped to take over reins

This was Pakistan’s 12th Test loss under Shan Masood, who had captained the Pakistan team in 16 Tests. Even his personal batting performance has suffered as Pakistan captain, and there were reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board was planning to replace Shan Masood as captain.

Pakistan are still slated to play seven more Tests this year, and a movement to reinstate Babar Azam as Test captain for the duration of the World Test Championship cycle has already started, according to a source close to the team.

“Some influential figures in the Pakistan Cricket Board also want Babar back as captain and believe this is the right time to give him another run at captaincy. If Babar plays the second Test and regains his batting form, he is a strong contender to come back as captain. Initial exchanges with some board officials indicate he is also not averse to becoming captain again”, the source had stated before the second Test in Sylhet.

Before he was compelled to resign after a disastrous 2023 World Cup in India, Babar served as captain of all three formats from 2019 to 2023. After a dismal T20 World Cup 2024, he resigned as T20 captain.

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