Islamabad, Oct 28: Wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan was on Sunday named Pakistan’s ODI and T20 captain, replacing Babar Azam, as the selectors announced the squads for the white-ball tours of Australia and Zimbabwe beginning November 4.Salman Ali Agha was made vice-captain for all future ODI and T20 international assignments.
Pakistan will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in their Australia tour, beginning with the first match in Melbourne (ODI) on November 4, and that will be Rizwan’s first assignment as captain.
Agha will lead the T20I side in Zimbabwe as Rizwan is rested under a workload management plan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe — for three ODIs and three T20Is — is from November 24 to December 5. The first match — an ODI — will be played in Bulawayo.
Babar, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returned to the Pakistan team for the Australia tour after being sidelined for two Tests against England. However, they have been rested for the Zimbabwe tour.
The PCB first announced the squads for the two white-ball tours before Rizwan was named the skipper for the ODI and T20I assignments in Australia, as well as the 50-over contest in Zimbabwe.
Many new faces have been brought into the squads, while senior players like Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan missed out on selection.
Fakhar is facing an inquiry from the Pakistan Cricket Board for tweeting in support of Babar before the selectors dropped him for the England Tests.
In some bold steps, the selectors have decided to use the ODIs and T20Is in Zimbabwe to test new players.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi told a media conference here on Sunday that Babar “didnāt want to be captain” and “no one forced him to resign as captain”.
āBabar is an asset. He spoke to me and he told me he didnāt want to be captain and let me make it clear that no one forced him to resign as captain. It is his own personal decision. He had sought advice before resigning. He wants to focus on his batting,ā Naqvi said.
āAfter Babarās decision I spoke to all selectors and five mentors and discussed the issue and everyone felt unanimously that Rizwan should be made captain in white ball with Salman Ali Agha as his vice captain.”
He also said that Aaqib Javed is presently convenor of all selection committee meetings.