Babar Azam, the all-format captain of the Pakistan cricket team, will lead the Karachi Kings in the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which is starting in January next year.

The franchise confirmed the long-rumoured development on its official Twitter account on Tuesday.

"Big announcement for Karachi Kings fans! Our national team skipper, the one and only Babar Azam, will now be the captain of Karachi Kings as well!"

“This is such an honour for me that the whole team management, including Imad Bhai, has entrusted me with the captaincy of our beloved Karachi Kings team. This means the world to me,” Babar said in a video message attached with the tweet.

PCB keen to organise players' draft for PSL 7

"I have been playing for the Karachi Kings for the last five years, and this is like my home and family away from home.

"I will work as hard more to take the team to even greater heights than what we’ve already achieved so far. My promise is that I will give it my all to make sure we keep on growing toward bigger and better things,” Azam said.

The players' draft for the seventh edition of the PSL is due for the second week of December while the tournament is likely to start in late January. Karachi and Lahore are expected to host 17 matches each with the playoffs and the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.