Rizwan Announced as Pakistan’s White-Ball Captain; Babar, Afridi, Naseem Return for Australia Tour

Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed the new white-ball captain of Pakistan, taking over from Babar Azam, who recently stepped down from the role. Rizwan’s leadership will debut in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Australia in November, which will see the return of senior players Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah. The three players, who missed Pakistan’s last two Tests against England, are set to make a comeback in both white-ball formats.

In addition to his captaincy, Salman Ali Agha has been named the vice-captain across all four white-ball squads and will lead the team in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Rizwan sitting out.

Rizwan’s Commitment as New Captain

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Rizwan stated, “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.”

Key Squad Updates

Several notable changes accompany the announcement. While Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq miss out on selection, Mohammad Hasnain, who performed impressively in the Champions One-Day Cup, has earned a spot in all four squads. Conversely, Shadab Khan has been dropped, with Sufiyan Muqeem, a left-arm wrist-spinner, added to the T20I squads. Additionally, Qasim Akram, an offspin-bowling all-rounder, will be part of the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi cited Fakhar’s fitness issues as a primary reason for his exclusion, along with concerns regarding a tweet opposing Babar’s Test omission. “The tweet is an issue for us, but it doesn’t matter as much as his failed fitness test,” said Naqvi. Mohammad Haris has also been left out, while wicketkeeper Haseebullah Khan gets an opportunity in all four squads.

Upcoming Australia and Zimbabwe Series

The ODI series against Australia, commencing on November 4, will be Pakistan’s first in the format since their World Cup campaign in India a year earlier. This series marks the start of a busy period leading up to the Champions Trophy in February, an ICC event that Pakistan will host for the first time since the 1996 World Cup. Following the Australia tour, Pakistan will face Zimbabwe, then continue with white-ball matches against South Africa, culminating in a tri-series involving New Zealand in Multan before the Champions Trophy.

Full Squad List

ODIs vs Australia:

1. Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk)
2. Salman Agha (vc)
3. Aamer Jamal
4. Abdullah Shafique
5. Arafat Minhas
6. Babar Azam
7. Faisal Akram
8. Haris Rauf
9. Haseebullah Khan (wk)
10. Kamran Ghulam
11. Mohammad Hasnain
12. Irfan Khan
13. Naseem Shah
14. Saim Ayub
15. Shaheen Shah Afridi

T20Is vs Australia:

1. Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk)
2. Salman Agha (vc)
3. Arafat Minhas
4. Babar Azam
5. Haris Rauf
6. Haseebullah Khan (wk)
7. Jahandad Khan
8. Abbas Afridi
9. Irfan Khan
10. Naseem Shah
11. Omair Yousuf
12. Sahibzada Farhan
13. Shaheen Shah Afridi
14. Sufiyan Muqeem
15. Usman Khan
16. ODIs vs Zimbabwe:
17. Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk)
18. Salman Agha (vc)
19. Aamer Jamal
20. Abdullah Shafique
21. Abrar Ahmed
22. Ahmed Daniyal
23. Faisal Akram
24. Haris Rauf
25. Haseebullah Khan (wk)
26. Kamran Ghulam
27. Mohammad Hasnain
28. Irfan Khan
29. Saim Ayub
30. Shahnawaz Dahani
31. Tayyab Tahir
32. T20Is vs Zimbabwe:
33. Salman Agha (c)
34. Ahmed Daniyal
35. Arafat Minhas
36. Haris Rauf
37. Haseebullah Khan (wk)
38. Jahandad Khan
39. Abbas Afridi
40. Mohammad Hasnain
41. Irfan Khan
42. Omair Yousuf
43. Qasim Akram
44. Sahibzada Farhan
45. Sufiyan Muqeem
46. Tayyab Tahir
47. Usman Khan

Australia Tour (Nov 4-18)

• ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
• T20I Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Abbas Afridi, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

Zimbabwe Tour (Nov 24 – Dec 5)

• ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir.
• T20I Squad: Agha Salman (capt), Abbas Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Omair Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan.

The announcement of Rizwan as the captain, coupled with the return of key players, signals an exciting new phase for Pakistan cricket as they prepare for a challenging schedule leading up to the Champions Trophy.