Hyderabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan's new white-ball captain on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
The decision came after Babar Azam, who led Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup 2024, stepped down from the captaincy last month, posting a note on his X handle. The PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed Pakistan’s white-ball captain in a media conference in Lahore.
Mohammad Rizwan has been given the responsibility due to his seniority, his credibility as a player and his experience of leading teams in domestic cricket and the PSL (Pakistan Super League).
Pakistan's tour to Australia for the three ODI and as many T20Is will mark as his first assignment as a skipper of the national cricket team. As Rizwan is picked at the helm, this upcoming assignment will be very crucial considering the highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 looming closer, to be held in Pakistan.
Rizwan will be available for the Australia matches and Zimbabwe ODIs but will be rested from the T20Is and the board has not given clarification on who will lead the side in the absence of wicketkeeper-batter.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan cricket board selectors announced 15-member squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe white-ball series tours. The Australia tour will commence from November 4-18, while the matches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, will be played from November 24 to December 5.
Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were given a rest from the last two Tests against England, return for the Australia matches but will be rested for the Zimbabwe tour.
Uncapped players in the ODI squad include Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Saim Ayub. Jahandad Khan and Salman Ali Agha have been included in the T20I squad for the first time.
Seven ODI squad members – Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi – will depart for Melbourne on Monday, 28 October, with the remaining ODI players leaving on Tuesday, 29 October. Pakistan’s white-ball coach, Gary Kirsten, will join the squad in Melbourne on 28 October.
Pakistan ODI Squad For Australia: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan T20I Squad For Australia: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan
Pakistan ODI Squad For Zimbabwe: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan T20I Squad For Zimbabwe: 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, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan