"They know that Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq are very close friends" - Salman Butt on agenda-driven campaign against Pakistan captain

Former opener Salman Butt has slammed a certain section of fans for promoting an agenda-driven campaign against Pakistan's all-format captain Babar Azam.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he noted how there have been several reports suggesting that Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood could replace Babar as skippers in Tests and ODIs, respectively.

He slammed the people behind those campaigns, stating that they were deliberately trying to create unnecessary disputes. Butt further added that there was no need to name a new vice-captain, saying that Shadab Khan deserves to continue as Babar's deputy in white-ball cricket.

"There have been tweets suggesting that Imam-ul-Haq should be made captain," Butt explained. "They know that Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq are very close friends, but still, have made such statements. There is a campaign going on for Shan Masood as well.

"While he is a very good chap, we have Shadab Khan, who is the vice-captain. He may be out with an injury, but he will return at some point."

Notably, Babar's captaincy has come under scrutiny following Pakistan. team's recent sub-par performances. They suffered an embarrassing 3-0 Test series loss against England at home.

Furthermore, the side failed to win a match in the ensuing two-match Test series against New Zealand, as both games ended in draws. To make matters worse, the Men in Green lost the ensuing three-match ODI series 2-1.

"The board's job is to show full support for the captain and vice-captain" - Salman Butt on how PCB should deal with Babar Azam

Salman Butt further stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should not make decisions based on ongoing social media campaigns surrounding Babar Azam's captaincy.

Butt stressed the need to form a committee and stated that discussions that take place within that group should not be disclosed to the media.

"It is important for the PCB not to pay attention to these necessary voices," Butt elaborated. "Yes, if there is something useful, you can take opinions from someone's tweets or YouTube channel. But they have to block the unwanted noise. The board's job is to show full support for the captain and vice-captain. They need to form a nucleus and ensure that no information is leaked."

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Pakistan and New Zealand are scheduled to compete once again in April and May this year. The two nations will lock horns in five T20Is and as many ODIs.