Rizwan Appointed as White-Ball Captain; Key Players Return for Australia Tour
Interestingly, Mohammad Hasnain, despite not receiving a central contract, has earned his spot in all four squads due to an outstanding performance in the Champions One-Day Cup, where he was recognized as the Player of the Tournament. Meanwhile, Shadab Khan has been dropped from the team, and left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Moqeem has been included in both T20I squads.
Mohammad Rizwan has officially been named as the new captain of the Pakistan cricket team for white-ball formats, taking over from Babar Azam, who recently stepped down from the role. Rizwan's first challenge will be leading the squad in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Australia, scheduled for next month.
The announcement of Rizwan's captaincy comes with notable reinforcements to the team. Babar Azam, alongside fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, returns to the squad after being omitted from Pakistan's last two Test matches against England. However, none of these players, including Rizwan, will participate in the subsequent ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe that will follow the Australia matches.
Pakistan Shaheens wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris has seen a decline in his selection, missing out on the squads altogether. Instead, Haseebullah Khan, who made a single T20I appearance in New Zealand earlier this year, has been included in all four squads. Saim Ayub, who gained recognition as a T20 power-hitter, will not play in the T20I series due to a poor run of form but has been selected for both ODI squads.
The ODI series against Australia will kick off on November 4, marking Pakistan's first ODI matches since last year's World Cup held in India. This series is crucial as it sets the stage for a busy schedule leading up to the Champions Trophy in February, which is the first ICC event that Pakistan will host since the 1996 World Cup.
Squad Details
Australia Tour (November 4-18)
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ODI Squad: 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.
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T20I Squad: 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, Sufiyan Moqim, Usman Khan.
Zimbabwe Tour (November 24 - December 5)
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ODI Squad: 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, Tayyab Tahir.
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T20I Squad: 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, Sufiyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan.
As the Pakistan team gears up for these crucial matches, all eyes will be on Rizwan to lead the side effectively in this important phase of international cricket.
