October 27, 2024: Star wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed as Pakistan’s new white-ball captain, succeeding Babar Azam. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced this change ahead of the team’s limited-overs tours to Australia and Zimbabwe, which begin on November 4. Salman Ali Agha will serve as the vice-captain.
Babar Azam recently announced his decision to step down from the captaincy to prioritize his personal performance, reflecting on a challenging period during which Pakistan failed to win a major tournament under his leadership since 2019. Notably, Pakistan’s exit from the Asia Cup and their inability to progress in the ODI World Cup were significant moments in his captaincy tenure.
In a statement on his official X account, Babar expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the team and emphasized that stepping down would provide him with clarity to focus on his game.
Rizwan, who will be available for both the Australia matches and the Zimbabwe ODIs but will not participate in the T20Is, is seen as a fitting choice for the captaincy given his consistent performances. The upcoming tours will also see the inclusion of three debutants: Kamran Ghulam, Omair Bin Yousuf, and Sufyan Moqim, alongside several players making their ODI debuts.
