Pakistan has appointed keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as the new vice-captain for the New Zealand T20Is starting January 12. Rizwan has replaced ace all-rounder Shadab Khan as deputy to newly-named T20I skipper Shaheen Afridi.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Meanwhile, following the 2023 World Cup, where Pakistan failed to reach the semis despite the tournament played in the sub-continent, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made drastic changes to the leadership group and the backroom staff. With Babar Azam stepping aside from the captain’s role across all formats, the PCB appointed Shan Masood as the Test skipper and Shaheen Afridi as the T20I captain. The board hasn’t named an ODI captain yet.
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A seasoned campaigner in the shortest format, Rizwan acknowledged the promotion, thanking PCB for bestowing trust in him to lead Pakistan to greater heights in T20Is.
“It is an honour to be named the vice-captain of Pakistan Men’s T20I side. I am thankful to the PCB for entrusting me with this responsibility. I am looking forward to working closely with the captain, coaching staff, and my teammates to contribute to the team’s success,” Rizwan said.
Meanwhile, Rizwan’s numbers are as impressive for a batter in T20Is as any. The right-handed batter has played 85 T20Is, averaging close to 50 (49.07), with one hundred and 25 fifties beside his name.
Overall, Rizwan has played over 238 T20s, captaining in 64 matches. Since his appointment as the Multan Sultan’s captain in 2021 in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Rizwan led his team to finals on all three occasions, winning in 2021.
Pakistan’s squad for New Zealand T20Is –
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vc) (wk), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan
New Zealand vs Pakistan 2024 schedule –
- 1st T20I – January 12, Auckland
- 2nd T20I – January 14, Hamilton
- 3rd T20I – January 17, Dunedin
- 4th T20I – January 19, Christchurch
- 5th T20I – January 21, Christchurch
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