Pakistan news – Rizwan captain; Babar, Afridi, Naseem back as PCB announces squads for tours of Australia, Zimbabwe

Mohammad Rizwan has been announced as Pakistan’s new white-ball captain and his first assignment will be the ODI and T20I series against Australia next month. The squad marks the return of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. The trio, omitted from Pakistan’s last two Tests against England, return in both white-ball formats. Neither will feature in the ODI or T20I series in Zimbabwe that immediately follows.

Salman Ali Agha, who is in all four white-ball squads for the away tours, has been named vice-captain. He will captain the team in the T20I series against Zimbabwe where Rizwan is sitting out.

“I am committed to give my absolute best in this role and look forward to working closely with the selectors, coaches and my immensely talented teammates,” a PCB statement to Rizwan said. “Together, we aim to meet and exceed the expectations of our fans and fans.”

Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, who both missed out on a key contract, are not in any squad, but key contracts were not always a reliable indicator of squad composition. Mohammad Hasnain did not get a central contract, but his performance in the Champions One-Day Cup – where he was player of the tournament – has earned him a place in all four squads. Shadab Khan has been dropped, left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem added to both T20I tour parties, while offspin bowling all-rounder Qasim Akram will head to Zimbabwe for the T20Is.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that Fakhar’s dispute with the PCB over a tweet he posted in opposition to Babar being dropped from the Test side was a factor in his omission, although according to the chairman it was not the main reason. “Tweet [he posted] is a problem for us,” Naqvi said. “However, it doesn’t matter so much that he fails his fitness test. We have to make a decision on his show announcement and then he has to pass his fitness test. That’s why he’s not there. He spoke very well at the Liaison Camp and it was he who raised his voice that has led us to reform our International Department. I appreciate that. But it is unacceptable for a player to tweet against the selection committee. It is not allowed and it will never be allowed.”

Pakistan Shaheen’s wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris has also fallen down the pecking order, failing to make either squad, with wicketkeeper Haseebullah Khan, who played a solitary T20I in New Zealand in January, included in all four. His teammate at Peshawar Zalmi Saim Ayub, who primarily made his name as a T20 top-order power-hitter, will not feature in either T20I series after a sustained lean run in the format, but has made the cut for both ODI squads.

The ODI series against Australia, set to begin on November 4, is Pakistan’s first in the format since the World Cup in India a year earlier. It kick-starts a busy period in the 50-over format in the build-up to the Champions Trophy in February, the first ICC event Pakistan is scheduled to host since the 1996 World Cup. The Australia and Zimbabwe ODIs are followed by white-ball matches in both formats against South Africa and a tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa in Multan just before the start of the Champions Trophy.

Australia tour (November 4-18)
Pakistan ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi

T20I squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Abbas Afridi, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Muqee, Sufiyan , Usman Khan.

Zimbabwe Tour (Nov 24 – Dec 5)
ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahan, Tayyab Tahir

T20I Squad: Agha Salman (capt), Abbas Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Omair Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Khan, Tayyab Tahir

11.50 GMT: This story was updated when Rizwan was confirmed as captain

Danyal Rasool is Pakinomist’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000

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