LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday that Mohammad Rizwan will take on the role of captain for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team, with Agha Salman appointed as vice-captain.
The decision comes after former skipper Babar Azam stepped down from the One Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) captaincy earlier this month, expressing a desire to focus on his individual performance.
Babar, in a social media post on October 2, announced his decision to step down as captain of the white-ball formats. His post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) said that the star batter made the decision independently after consulting with his coaches.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the appointments of Rizwan and Salman. “Rizwan will lead the ODI and T20I formats, while Agha Salman, a talented batting all-rounder, will support him as vice-captain,” said Naqvi.
The selection of Rizwan and Salman followed consultations among the PCB’s national selection committee and a panel of mentors. “After Babar’s decision, our selection committee engaged in thorough internal discussions, ultimately reaching a near-unanimous decision to appoint Rizwan as the next white-ball captain, with Salman as his deputy,” Naqvi said.
The committee’s final selection was approved during a Saturday night meeting, where the squad for the upcoming Australia and Zimbabwe series was also confirmed.
Naqvi expressed his admiration for Babar Azam, describing him as an “asset” to Pakistan’s cricket team. “Players like Babar emerge only once in a generation,” Naqvi said. He said that Babar personally informed him of his decision to relinquish the captaincy. “He made this choice on his own after consulting his coaches. We respect his decision and look forward to him contributing as a player.”
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, selection committee members Aqib Javed and Azhar Ali, along with Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha's press conference in Lahore.
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While Rizwan has been named captain, he will not feature in the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour as the selection committee prioritizes rest and squad rotation to keep players fresh.
Chairman Naqvi commended the selection committee for its diligence and dedication during the recent series, particularly against England, and praised its strategic efforts in evaluating players’ strengths.
“The committee has worked tirelessly, spending long hours finalizing selections to ensure the team’s best performance,” he said.
