Pakistan men’s national team selection committee led by Wahab Riaz announced a 16-member squad for the T20I series against New Zealand. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named captain while Mohammad Rizwan will act as his deputy.
Meanwhile, Shadab Khan, who was the vice-captain of Pakistan national cricket team in T20Is before this series, was dropped from this series after his poor run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Shadab Khan congratulated Rizwan for becoming in the vice captain of the team.
Mohammad Rizwan has been one of Pakistan’s most prolific batsmen in T20Is with an average close to 50 in the shortest format. He has amassed 2797 runs in just 73 innings for Pakistan, which includes 25 half-centuries and one century. However, his 127.31 strike rate has been a cause for concern, but on that basis alone he could not be dropped from the team.
Shadab Khan, on the other hand, has also taken a break from the T20 format as he aims to make a comeback in the red-ball format. Earlier, he withdrew his name from the Big Bash League to focus on four-day domestic cricket in Pakistan as he is determined to return to the Pakistan Test team. Shadab Khan had a terrible ODI World Cup campaign for Pakistan last year. He was Babar Azam’s substitute in that tournament but could not muster a single winning performance.
Shadab Khan took to ‘X’ to congratulate Mohammad Rizwan on becoming the new vice-captain of the Pakistan T20I team and urged fans to support Rizwan and Shaheen as they face their first challenge against New Zealand after becoming captain and vice-captain. they catch He wishes them all the best and shows faith in Rizwan’s ability as a leader.
Shadab Khan congratulates Mohammad Rizwan on becoming the new vice-captain
Congratulations @iMRizwanPak upon being named vice-captain of the T20I team. I know you will be a brilliant deputy for @iShaheenAfridi. We wish you all the best. I urge all fans to support them and the team against New Zealand. #PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/0S0AG4GTDB
-Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) January 8, 2024
Mohammad Rizwan has been chosen as vice-captain but will not retain Pakistan’s wickets in the series as Wahab Riaz has announced that Azam Khan will be Pakistan’s wicketkeeper against the Blackcaps and Rizwan will play as a specialist. mass. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam will also fall back on their ODI positions at N0.3 and No.4 in T20Is, while Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman will open Pakistan’s batting in the series.
Pakistan will play five T20Is against New Zealand where Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the Pakistan team and Kane Williamson will return as captain of New Zealand. Kane Williamson has been rested for the recently concluded T20I series and ODI series against Bangladesh. He will return to the team for the home series against Pakistan and he is also likely to lead the team against South Africa in the test series next month.
