Rizwan named Pakistan captain for Australia tour

FAROOQ NAEEM/ AFP

Pakistan appointed Mohammad Rizwan as captain of their white-ball teams on Sunday, and Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were all named in their one-day international and Twenty20 squads for next month's tour of Australia.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha will serve as Rizwan's deputy, the Pakistan Cricket Board said.

The 32-year-old Rizwan has played 74 ODIs and 102 T20Is since making his white-ball debut in 2015, scoring a combined 5,401 runs.

Babar stepped down as skipper in all three formats last year after Pakistan failed to make the knockout stage of the 50-overs World Cup, before returning as white-ball captain in March for the T20 World Cup where the team did not make the Super Eight.

He quit the role again this month, saying he needed to reduce his workload.

The batting mainstay as well as pace bowlers Afridi and Naseem were dropped by Pakistan for the last two tests against England due to patchy form and the team secured a 2-1 series win on Saturday.

The trio will not feature in the matches against Zimbabwe which follow the Australian series.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rizwan will be available for the Australia games and the Zimbabwe ODIs, but will be rested for the T20Is, with Agha stepping in for him.

Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20Is against both Australia and Zimbabwe. The Australia tour runs from November 4-18, and the games in Bulawayo will be played from November 24 to December 5.

More from Sports News

  • Manchester City striker Haaland suffers ankle injury

    Manchester City's Erling Haaland sustained an ankle injury in their FA Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth over the weekend, the Premier League club said on Monday, with the striker requiring further tests to determine the full extent of the injury.

  • Rory McIlroy battling injury with Masters approaching

    Rory McIlroy acknowledged he is dealing with an elbow injury as he prepares to head to Augusta for next week's Masters. The World No. 2 made a spirited run up the leaderboard at the Texas Children's Houston Open on Sunday, carding a 4-under 31 on the front nine that included an eagle.

  • Caitlin Clark sports card sets record after selling at auction

    WNBA star Caitlin Clark's 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl Prizm card, numbered 1-of-1, has set a record sale for a female sports card after going under the hammer for $366,000 (AED 1.3 million) at auction.

  • Saka ready to return, says Arsenal manager Arteta

    Arsenal's Bukayo Saka could make his long-awaited return against Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday after recovering from a hamstring injury, his manager Mikel Arteta said.

  • Teenager Mensik denies Djokovic 100th title in Miami Open upset

    Nineteen-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik beat his childhood idol Novak Djokovic 7-6(4) 7-6(4) in an upset for the ages on Sunday, claiming his first ATP title at the Miami Open as he denied the former number one his bid for a milestone 100th.