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Mohammad Rizwan To Step Down As Pakistan Captain?
Follow UsThe wicketkeeper-batter is expected to have a discussion with the PCB to determine his future
It has not gone well for Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan's white-ball captain. New Zealand recently blanked Pakistan in the One-Day International (ODI) series. Following this, reports of differences between Rizwan and interim head coach Aaqib Javed surfaced.
According to reports, Rizwan and Javed did not see eye-to-eye on team selections during the New Zealand ODIs. While Rizwan wanted five specialist bowlers for the first two ODIs, Javed eventually decided to go in with four with part-timers Salman Aghna and Irfan Khan making up for the fifth bowler.
The move eventually backfired, as the duo conceded 134 runs in 13 overs, going at over 10 an over.
Rizwan, along with senior batter Babar Azam, are expected to seek clarity about their roles from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), especially after they were dropped from the T20 International (T20I) series against New Zealand.
“Rizwan is due to meet the PCB chairman as soon as he gets an opportunity to seek clarity on his axing from the T20I side,” a source close to the captain confirmed, according to Gulf News.
If Rizwan does not receive assuring answers, he will have no qualms about stepping down as Pakistan captain. “Rizwan will seek more power in the selection of the playing eleven,” the source added.
“And if he’s not given that, there’s a real possibility he could step down from the ODI captaincy.”
Pakistan cricket have not been at their best of late. Before their debacle in New Zealand, which included a 4-1 T20I defeat and a 3-0 whitewash in ODIs, they crashed out in the group stages of the Champions Trophy, ending the campaign without a win.