After announcing the limited-overs squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe tour, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled keeper-batter as the white-ball captain for the tour of Australia and Zimbabwe. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the vice-captain. Rizwan will replace Babar Azam, who stepped down from the role recently.
The right-handed batter made his white-ball debut against Bangladesh in April 2015 and has established himself as the mainstay in both ODI and T20I sides. Having played 176 limited-overs matches for Pakistan, Rizwan has amassed well over 5000 runs across both formats. Although the 32-year-old has not captained Pakistan, he won the title for the Multan Sultans as their leader in PSL 2021.
Expressing his gratitude, Rizwan said it's an honour to have been handed the reins of the side and is excited to take over the mantle and lift Pakistan cricket to new heights. As quoted by pcb.co.pk, he stated:
"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. 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."
"Rizwan has earned the respect of his peers and colleagues" - Mohsin Naqvi
Meanwhile, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he trusts Rizwan's cricketing nous and expects him to shape Pakistan into a world-class unit along with inspiring the next generation.
"I want to extend my congratulations to Mohammad Rizwan on his appointment as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. 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 have no doubt that these qualities, combined with his game knowledge and performance, will inspire the next generation of Pakistan cricketers."
The ODI series against Australia begins on November 4 at the MCG.
