LAHORE – Wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed as skipper of Pakistan’s ODIs and T20Is teams.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that batting allrounder Salman Ali Agha will be the vice-captain of the Pakistan team in the white-ball format.
The first assignment of Mohammad Rizwan as captain will be to lead Green shirts in ODIs, and T20Is series in Australia. He will also lead Pakistan in ODIs against Zimbabwe.
As the 32-year-old Rizwan will not be a part of the side for T20Is in Zimbabwe, his deputy Salman Ali Agha will assume the role of a captain.
Since debut in white-ball cricket in 2015, Rizwan 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.
Mohammad Rizwan: “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.
“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.”
Mohsin Naqvi: “I am confident that Rizwan’s leadership qualities, underpinned by his deep commitment and passion for the game, will help shape this talented team into a consistently successful unit.
“Rizwan has earned the respect of his peers and colleagues through his dedication and positive attitude, and I do not doubt that these qualities, combined with his game knowledge and performance, will inspire the next generation of Pakistan cricketers.
“The PCB has always been fully committed to supporting our players and staff, and we will continue to stand by Rizwan as he takes on this important role. We are optimistic that under his leadership, Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team will once again become a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.”
