The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reinstated Babar Azam as the captain of the white-ball team, a position he vacated following Pakistan’s disappointing performance at the ODI World Cup in India last year.
However, Babar’s return to leadership faced immediate scrutiny after Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat against a weakened New Zealand side.
In the second T20I, Mohammad Rizwan played a crucial role with both bat and gloves. Medical advice has ruled out Rizwan from further participation in the series, prioritizing rest and recovery.
Following the match, Babar Azam acknowledged the team’s batting efforts but criticized the bowling performance.
“Overall, our batting wasn’t too bad. Although we fell short by around 10 runs, Mohammad Rizwan’s injury setback disrupted our plans, forcing a new batsman to adapt quickly. Nonetheless, the partnership between Shadab Khan and Irfan (Khan Niazi) helped us recover well. Considering the pitch conditions, a par score would have been between 180 to 190, so I believe our batting was satisfactory,” Babar Azam stated.
The severity of Rizwan’s hamstring injury remains undisclosed, prompting the Pakistan medical team to take precautions by withdrawing him from the remainder of the series. With less than six weeks until the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan cannot afford to risk Rizwan’s fitness.
In the third T20I, Mark Chapman’s outstanding performance propelled New Zealand to victory over Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The upcoming T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled for April 25, 2024.
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