Mohammad Rizwan named Pakistan’s ODI, T20 Captain

LAHORE: Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed Pakistan’s white-ball captain, while Salman Ali Agha has been named vice-captain as the selectors announced Pakistan’s squads for the ODI and T20I tours of Australia and Zimbabwe from 4 November to 5 December.

Salman will lead the T20I side in Zimbabwe as Rizwan will rest under a workload management plan.

The 32-year-old Rizwan, who debuted in white-ball cricket in 2015, has played 74 ODIs and 102 T20Is to date, scoring 5,401 runs with four centuries and accounting for 143 dismissals behind the stumps.

As he leads the team in the opening ODI against Australia in Melbourne on 4 November, Rizwan will become Pakistan’s 31st captain. For the first T20I in Brisbane on 14 November, he will be the 12th to captain Pakistan in the format.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced at a press conference in Lahore that the central contract list has been released, and selectors have put in substantial effort. He said that former captain Babar Azam expressed his desire to step down from captaincy to focus on improving his batting.

Also read: Pakistan’s T20 squad for Australia tour

 “Babar is a valuable asset to Pakistan cricket, and players of his caliber are rare,” Naqqvi said.

He explained that after consultations with mentors and selectors, the decision to appoint Rizwan as captain and Salman as vice-captain was unanimous. Emphasis will also be placed on supporting young talent and nurturing domestic players, with PCB committed to providing necessary support, he added.

Naqvi also praised the team’s effort in the recent Test matches, led by Aaqib Javed and the selection team, and expressed hope for strong performances in upcoming tours to Australia and Zimbabwe. He emphasized the importance of team unity, stressing that no player should act against selectors’ decisions regarding their participation.

PCB Selection Committee member Aaqib Javed highlighted Pakistan’s bright future in white-ball cricket, adding that fitness should remain a top priority. He commended the ground staff’s hard work in Multan and Rawalpindi, which was reflected in recent matches.

Mohammad Rizwan said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. Representing Pakistan on the global stage is the greatest privilege and to now be entrusted with leading such a talented and exciting group of players is a tremendous honour. Joining the ranks of some of Pakistan’s legendary limited-overs captains truly is the icing on the cake.”

He said that “I am committed to giving my absolute best in this role and look forward to working closely with the selectors, coaches and my immensely talented teammates. Together, we aim to meet and exceed the expectations of our fans and supporters.”

“Pakistan cricket holds immense potential across all formats and I am confident that, with the support of God Almighty, we will build on our recent success against England to achieve even greater heights in what promises to be a challenging and busy season of white-ball cricket.”

Pakistan squads for Australia and Zimbabwe tours:

ODI SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi

T20I SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan

ODI SQUAD FOR ZIMBABWE: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir

T20I SQUAD FOR ZIMBABWE: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.