Why was Babar Azam not picked as Colombo Strikers captain?

Bowling coach of Colombo Strikers Chaminda Vaas has revealed the reason why Babar Azam is not leading the franchise in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL).

Vaas, in an interview with The Hindustan Times, said the Pakistan skipper preferred to focus solely on his batting, a decision that the team management respected.

Since Babar did not wish to lead the Strikers, the management picked Niroshan Dickwella as the captain — a move that drew criticism from the stylish batter's fans.

"Babar wanted to play just as a batter and we respected his decision. Niroshan Dickwella is our captain. If you take Babar Azam, we all know that he’s the number one batsman in the world and the way he performs and contributes to the team is amazing," Vaas said.

The former Sri Lankan quick said Babar's presence in the team was a good learning opportunity for the squad's youngsters.

"All the youngsters can learn so much from him. I'm so excited to see him play in the Lanka Premier League. Apart from him, there is Naseem Shah. A top bowler in the world, and working with him alongside (Matheesha) Pathirana is great," he added.

The Pakistani skipper received the player of the match award for his amazing 59-run knock, helping his side beat B-Love Kandy by 27 runs, registering their first win in the tournament on Monday.

Babar's performance impressed skipper Dickwella, who told his team to follow the Pakistani's example as he stood his ground despite challenging circumstances.

"Learn from the best. He didn’t give up. It was not easy to bat on that wicket and he was there till the end. That inning gave us a good score," Dickwella added.