Tag: Mohammad Rizwan

Former Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed has questioned the decision to sideline Mohammad Rizwan following the ongoing struggles of Mohammad Haris in the tri-nation T20I series.

Taking to the social media platform X, Tanvir expressed frustration over the team management’s selection policy after the defeat against Afghanistan.

“If Haris was going to play like this, then why was Mohammad Rizwan deliberately left out of the team?” he asked.

It’s worth noting that Mohammad Haris has endured a torrid run of form in recent months.

Since his century against Bangladesh in June, the wicketkeeper-batter has reached double figures only once in nine innings, a 15-run knock in the tri-series opener.

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His last nine T20I scores read: 4, 0, 5 (vs Bangladesh), 6, 4, 2 (vs West Indies), and 15, 1, 1 (vs UAE and Afghanistan). In total, he has managed just 38 runs across this stretch.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan, along with former skipper Babar Azam, has been out of Pakistan’s T20I setup since December 2024, when both last featured against South Africa. The duo has not been considered in selection plans since.

On the other hand, despite their recent defeat to Afghanistan, Pakistan remain at the top of the tri-series standings with four points from three matches.

Afghanistan is in second place, while the hosts, the UAE, are at the bottom without any wins. Pakistan’s next match will be against the UAE at the same venue on Thursday.

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GROS ISLET: A resilient half-century from Mohammad Rizwan could not save St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from yet another setback, as they went down by seven wickets to St Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Opting to bat first, the Patriots put up a respectable 177-3 in their 20 overs, with Rizwan leading the charge.

The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 60 off 41 deliveries, striking three boundaries and four sixes, while skipper Jason Holder added a quick-fire 21 from 14 balls.

Earlier, openers Andre Fletcher (37 off 23) and Evin Lewis (18) provided a steady 47-run start, followed by Kyle Mayers’ 27 off 25.

For the Kings, Tabraiz Shamsi delivered a miserly spell, finishing with 2-17 in his four overs, while Roston Chase chipped in with a wicket.

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In response, the Kings made the chase look effortless, cruising home in just 17 overs. Openers Johnson Charles and Tim Seifert set the tone with a blazing 85-run stand inside seven overs.

Charles smashed 47 off only 17 balls before Waqar Salamkheil broke through, but Seifert anchored the innings with a fluent 68 off 45 deliveries.

Ackeem Auguste added 29 from 20, while Chase (15*) and Tim David (16*) applied the finishing touches.

Naseem Shah was the pick of the bowlers for the Patriots, claiming 2-35, while Salamkheil took one wicket.

The result leaves Holder’s St Kitts and Nevis Patriots languishing in fifth place with just two wins from seven outings.

Meanwhile, St Lucia Kings climbed to the top of the standings with three wins, one defeat, and two no results from six matches.

READ: Commentary panel unveiled for tri-series featuring Pakistan, UAE and Afghanistan

Former Pakistan men’s team head coach Mickey Arthur has shared his thoughts on the exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I side.

Pakistan’s ace duo, Babar and Rizwan, last appeared in a T20I in December 2024 against South Africa.

Since then, neither player has been in the team’s plan for the shorter format amid criticism of their strike rates.

Notably, the duo stands as the most successful pair in T20Is, having amassed 3,300 runs at an average of 46.47 over 73 innings from 2019 to 2024.

During a recent episode of Sports Room on ARY News, Mickey Arthur said that Babar and Rizwan are not suitable for T20 cricket.

“Both Babar and Rizwan are excellent players, but cricket has evolved. They are not perfect for the kind of cricket needed to play in T20s today,” Arthur said.

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The former coach praised the current coach and captain of the Pakistan T20I team, Mike Hesson, as well as Salman Ali Agha.

“Hesson, along with captain Agha Salman, desires that the team play as per their own strategy. They are shaping a style that is tailored for contemporary T20 cricket, and that comes with tough calls,” Mickey Arthur remarked.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responded to rumours about the removal of Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood from their roles as white-ball and red-ball captains on Monday.

Speculation had been rife that Shan Masood could be replaced by Saud Shakeel as Test captain, while reports also suggested Mohammad Rizwan’s position as ODI captain was under threat.

However, PCB sources have categorically denied these claims, terming them “baseless.”

They confirmed that there is no proposal under consideration to remove Shan from the Test captaincy, nor is there any plan to appoint Saud as his replacement.

Similarly, the board dismissed talk of Mohammad Rizwan being stripped of the ODI captaincy, clarifying that Salman Ali Agha is not being considered for the role.

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The sources further added that the selection committee has not discussed any such matter, nor has there been any change in the category of players’ central contracts.

Pakistan are currently preparing for the Tri-Nation Series, featuring Afghanistan and the UAE, scheduled to be played in Sharjah from August 29 to September 7.

Each side will face the other twice, with the top two progressing to the final. Pakistan will open their campaign against Afghanistan on August 29 at 7:00 PM local time.

Following the tri-series, Pakistan will shift its focus to the ACC Asia Cup 2025, starting September 9 with the tournament opener between Afghanistan and Hong Kong.

Notably, neither Rizwan nor Shan will feature in the upcoming fixtures. Mohammad Rizwan remains out of Pakistan’s T20I squad, while Shan has not been part of the white-ball setup since 2023.

Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium):

• 29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time
• 30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time
• 1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
• 2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
• 4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
• 5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
• 7 September – Final – 7pm local time

ACC Asia Cup T20 2025 (Pakistan fixtures, Super Fours and Final):

• 12 September – Oman v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
• 14 September – India v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
• 17 September – UAE v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
• 20-26 September – Super Fours fixtures (Abu Dhabi and Dubai)
• 28 September – Final, DICS, 6pm local time

READ: Pakistan reveal squad for ICC Women’s World Cup 2025

Pakistan wicket-keeper batter and former T20I captain Mohammad Rizwan is set to join St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the remainder of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the league will confirm Rizwan’s signing in the next 24 hours.

Mohammad Rizwan has been roped in as a replacement player for pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who is set to join the Afghanistan team ahead of the tri-series in the United Arab Emirates involving Pakistan and the UAE.

The right-handed batter will be in action in the CPL for the first time, highlighting the growing presence of Pakistani players in the league.

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Rizwan will join his compatriots, Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi, in the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Last week, leg-spinner Usama Mir signed for the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, with Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, and Salman Irshad also featuring in the tournament.

It is pertinent to note that the Pakistan Cricket Board has established a regulation allowing centrally contracted players to participate in a maximum of two overseas T20 leagues within a 12-month period.

This will be Mohammad Rizwan’s second league, as he had previously signed with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League 2025.

Pakistan players to feature in CPL 2025

Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots), Imad Wasim (Antigua and Barbuda Falcons), Mohammad Amir, and Usman Tariq (Trinbago Knight Riders).

READ: PHF seeks deadline extension for FIH Pro League participation

DUBAI: Pakistan ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi have suffered a dip in the latest ICC Rankings released on Wednesday.

Vice-captain and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha climbed three places to 40th with 550 points in the batting charts.

Meanwhile, star batter Babar Azam reclaimed the No.2 spot after briefly losing it to India’s Rohit Sharma.

Rising opener Saim Ayub endured the heaviest fall, dropping 12 spots to 60th with 503 points.

Among other Pakistani batters, Mohammad Rizwan fell five places to 27th, Fakhar Zaman slipped one position to 28th, while Imam-ul-Haq, currently featuring for Yorkshire in the One-Day Cup, dropped three places to 42nd.

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India’s Shubman Gill continues to hold the No.1 batting spot, with New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell in third.

The ICC ODI Bowling Rankings brought more setbacks for Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi fell two spots to 15th, Haris Rauf dropped to 31st, while Naseem Shah slid to 51st.

Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Wasim Jr. also slipped three places each to 78th and 87th, respectively.

The only notable gain came from spinner Abrar Ahmed, who surged 18 places to 43rd with 502 points.

At the top, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj became the new No.1 ODI bowler following his five-wicket haul against Australia, overtaking Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana and India’s Kuldeep Yadav.

READ: Aamir Jamal shares cryptic post after exclusion from central contract list

LAHORE: Star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were demoted as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced central contracts for the 2025-26 international season on Monday.

A total of 30 male cricketers have been awarded central contracts that will be effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

Notably, unlike previous years, no player has been selected for Category A in this cycle. Instead, this year’s roster sees ten players each placed in Categories B, C, and D.

Compared to last year’s list of 27 contracted players, the PCB has expanded the pool to 30, including 12 fresh additions, highlighting the emergence of promising new talent and the Board’s strategic focus on squad depth and future development.

The new entrants in the central contract list are Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim.

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According to the PCB, five players have earned promotion in the central contracts for the upcoming season owing to their performances last year.

They are Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan, all of whom have been promoted from the C to the B category.

Additionally, nine players, including Shaheen Shah Afridi in Category B, have retained their positions in the same categories.

Abdullah Shafique, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel were retained in Category C, while Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr were retained in Category D.

Eight players have missed out on contracts this year. They are Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan, all of whom were in Category (D).

Central Contracts for the 2025-26 season

List of this year’s centrally contacted players:

Category B (10 players): Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Category C (10 players): Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel.

Category D (10 players): Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, and Sufyan Moqim.

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Former pacer Tanvir Ahmed has advised the senior duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to consider retirement from International cricket amid selection snub for the Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named a 17-member squad that excluded Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s last T20I appearance came in December 2024 against South Africa.

Tanvir Ahmed criticized the decision, urging the duo to call time on their careers.

“My request to Babar Azam and Rizwan is that if you feel your respect is not intact, then consider retiring from international cricket. We have examples of Virat Kohli in front of us. Babar and Rizwan, respect is in your hands,” he said.

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The pacer questioned Fakhar Zaman’s inclusion in the team, who suffered an injury during the West Indies tour.

“Was Fakhar Zaman forced into the team, or was he included to prevent Babar Azam from being selected? How did Fakhar Zaman get in?” he questioned.

For the unversed, Salman Ali Agha will lead the side with experienced players such as Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf included in the squad.

Additionally, young talents Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat are also part of the squad.

The team will be in action in the tri-series against Afghanistan and the UAE, which is scheduled to run from August 29 to September 7.

The series will be held entirely at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and will see each team face the others twice, culminating in the final on September 7.

The series will serve as a crucial tune-up for the Asia Cup 2025, also to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format.

READ: ‘Best team selected’: Abdul Razzaq praises Pakistan Tri-Series, Asia Cup squad

Former wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal has questioned the absence of the experienced duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the Pakistan T20I squad.

Speaking during a private event, Kamran shared his thoughts on the team selection for the Asia Cup 2025 and Tri-Series against Afghanistan and the UAE.

He also questioned the absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I team.

“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should have been part of the team,” he remarked.

The former wicket-keeper also reiterated his earlier statement about trying new players.

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“They have performed in the past, and I had said these players — Babar, Shaheen [Afridi], Shadab [Khan], and Haris [Rauf] — should be removed from the T20I team and new players should be given a chance,” he said.

The 43-year-old highlighted the significance of marquee events and the need for senior players in bigger tournaments, while stressing the importance of these events.

“These players will be automatically chosen for major ICC and ACC tournaments,” he added.

“The team was not formed considering the difficult conditions and the pressure situation. I think a better team could have been formed, and this has been ongoing for several years,” Kamran Akmal concluded.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 17-member squad, excluding Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s last T20I appearance came in December 2024 against South Africa. Since then, neither player has been in the team’s plan for the shorter format amid criticism of their strike rates.

Salman Ali Agha will lead the side with experienced players such as Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf included in the squad.

Additionally, young talents Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat are also part of the squad.

For the unversed,  the tri-series, scheduled to run from August 29 to September 7, will be held entirely at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and will see each team face the others twice, culminating in the final on September 7.

The series will serve as a crucial tune-up for the Asia Cup 2025, also to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

READ: Aqib Javed backs Pakistan to beat India in Asia Cup 2025

LAHORE: Pakistan team selector and former pacer Aqib Javed has shared his thoughts on the exclusion of the experienced duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I squad.

Addressing the questions regarding squad selection for the forthcoming Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025, Aqib, alongside Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson, highlighted key aspects of the 17-member squad.

The ace duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have not been selected in the Pakistan squad. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s last T20I appearance came in December 2024 against South Africa.

Aqib Javed stated that there is no full stop for any player, and there are ample opportunities for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to perform and secure their place in the team.

“In T20 cricket, two factors are crucial: your ability to score runs and your strike rate, according to the match situation and environment. That is what we always consider,” he told reporters.

The selector highlighted Pakistan’s T20I format top order, emphasizing recent performances amid the exclusion of Babar Azam.

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“It’s not that we are completely sidelining them. The current choices reflect how a player develops. I’ve given examples of Sahibzada Farhan, Saim, and Fakhar. Sahibzada made a comeback, Saim initially struggled but later created an impact,” he stated.

“We can’t say that we are writing them off, and at this time, we have players who have performed well.

So, no one can put a full stop on any player; there are opportunities, they are getting contracts in the Big Bash, there is the PSL, the player who performs will play, and he should play,” he added.

Aqib Javed mentioned the performances of the Pakistan Shaheens players and the opportunities available for emerging players.

“Our top players have just completed a camp at the NCA,” the 53-year-old said.

He further emphasized the team’s strengths while explaining the selection dynamics.

“Mohammad Wasim Jr. was sent there [Pakistan Shaheens] and he is getting fitter and bowling well, so he has been included in the squad,” he said. “You have limited slots— if you have players like Saim [Ayub], Fakhar [Zaman], and Sahibzada [Farhan], you can only select 17.”

“Wherever there is opportunity, it will be utilised. The good thing is that our options are improving. Players like Yasir[Khan] [Mohammad] Naeem, and [Khawaja] Nafay give us better choices, and it is a good sign,” Aqib Javed concluded.

READ: Pakistan name squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025