Misbah-ul-Haq: “Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in both the white-ball formats. With an eye on future and as part of the succession plan, Rohail Nazir has been chosen as Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in limited overs cricket.
However, when it comes to his back-up, it no longer seems to be former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Instead, Misbah has set his sights on the future and branded 19-year-old Rohail Nazir as Rizwan’s successor.
This comes after Nazir was included in the list of 22 probables for Pakistan’s limited overs series against Zimbabwe, while Sarfaraz was dropped.
Defending his decision, Misbah said it would be better for Sarfaraz to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy rather than sit on the bench during the Zimbabwe series.
“Similarly, not many will disagree that on present form, Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in both the white-ball formats. With an eye on future and as part of the succession plan, Rohail Nazir has been chosen as Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper,” Misbah was quoted as saying by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) website.
“Instead of Sarfaraz sitting on the substitute bench, it makes sense that he plays in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he retains his fitness and rediscovers form for the tour for the longer and more demanding tour of New Zealand.”
Rizwan captained Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the National T20 Cup and had a lot of success as an opening or top order batsman.
Rizwan finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 389 runs, which included four fifties, at an average of 38.90 and a strike-rate of 127.96.
As for Nazir, he amassed 90 runs in 11 games at an average of 18 and a strike-rate of 147.54.
Pakistan’s series against Zimbabwe will consist of three ODIs and three T20 Internationals.
The ODIs will be held in Rawalpindi from October 30 to November 3, while the T20 Internationals have been moved from Multan to Lahore and will take place from November 7 to 10.
Pakistan’s 22 probables for the Zimbabwe series: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Zafar Gohar