Pakistan appointed its star fast bowler as captain before the New Zealand T20 | Squad and Schedule: Recently there has been an increase in cricket matches in all formats across the world, with all countries getting involved in three-day fixtures in both the shorter and longer formats. However, a notable change is evident in the Pakistan team.
Last season, Pakistan faced challenges due to the team’s poor form, which attracted attention from various quarters.
Performance in the World Cup was particularly disappointing, leading to significant changes in the team.
As a result, Rizwan’s appointment marks another change in Pakistan’s leadership setup after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Babar Azam stepped down from his captaincy in all formats after Pakistan’s premature exit in the group stage.
Subsequently, Shan Masood took over the role of Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi took over as the T20I captain.
Rizwan will take over as T20I vice-captain in place of all-rounder Shadab Khan. Unfortunately, Shadab suffered an ankle injury during Pakistan’s domestic season last month, ruling him out of the New Zealand tour.
Rizwan has an impressive T20I record at an average of 49, scoring 2797 runs including one century and 25 fifties. He is Pakistan’s second-highest run scorer in T20Is.
Serving as a wicketkeeper, Rizwan has taken 43 catches and 11 stumpings in this format. Expressing his delight on his appointment.
Rizwan looks forward to contributing to the success of the team.“It is an honor to be named as 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.”
Recently there has been an increase in cricket matches in all formats across the world, with all countries getting involved in three-day fixtures in both the shorter and longer formats. However, a notable change is evident in the Pakistan team.
Last season, Pakistan faced challenges due to the team’s poor form, which attracted attention from various quarters. Performance in the World Cup was particularly disappointing, leading to significant changes in the team. As a result, Rizwan’s appointment marks another change in Pakistan’s leadership setup after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Babar Azam stepped down from his captaincy in all formats after Pakistan’s premature exit in the group stage. Subsequently, Shan Masood took over the role of Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi took over as the T20I captain.
Rizwan will take over as T20I vice-captain in place of all-rounder Shadab Khan. Unfortunately, Shadab suffered an ankle injury during Pakistan’s domestic season last month, ruling him out of the New Zealand tour.
Rizwan has an impressive T20I record at an average of 49, scoring 2797 runs including one century and 25 fifties. He is Pakistan’s second-highest run scorer in T20Is.
Serving as a wicketkeeper, Rizwan has taken 43 catches and 11 stumpings in this format. Expressing his delight on his appointment, Rizwan looks forward to contributing to the success of the team.
Pakistan T20I squad against New Zealand
T20I squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Aamer Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (vc, wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan
Pakistan T20I Schedule against New Zealand
| Series | Team | Date | Venue |
| 1st T20I | PAK vs NZ | Jan-12 | Eden Park, Auckland |
| 2nd T20I | PAK vs NZ | Jan-14 | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| 3rd T20I | PAK vs NZ | 17-Jan | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| 4th T20I | PAK vs NZ | 19-Jan | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| 5th T20I | PAK vs NZ | Jan-21 | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
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