Mohammad Hafeez: “I still think that if the Pakistan Cricket Board’s think tank and even Babar should think that if Rizwan could not deliver well in this format, then he should give him a break, and Sarfaraz or even any other option they have, should be utilised”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez believes that wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan may need a break from Test cricket and has urged captain Babar Azam to think about it.
Rizwan hasn’t been at his best in the longest format as he amassed 401 runs in eight Tests in 2022, which included a top score of 104 not out, at an average of 30.84.
Since the 30-year-old hasn’t been able to contribute much with the bat, Hafeez has advised Azam to consider picking Sarfaraz Ahmed instead.
The 35-year-old former captain was given the chance to play in the recent two-Test series against New Zealand and was absolutely brilliant as he made 335 runs, which included a century and three fifties, at an average of 83.75.
“I still think that if the Pakistan Cricket Board’s think tank and even Babar should think that if Rizwan could not deliver well in this format, then he should give him a break, and Sarfaraz or even any other option they have, should be utilised in [the] best possible way,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Sarfaraz will now captain the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), while Azam will lead the Peshawar Zalmi. Rizwan, meanwhile, will captain the Multan Sultans.
The Gladiators will start their campaign against the Sultans on February 15, while the Zalmi will kickstart their tournament with a clash against the Karachi Kings on February 14.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8:Â Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill and Omair Bin Yousuf
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 8:Â Babar Azam, Rovman Powell, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Arshad Iqbal, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Haris, Aamer Jamal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Saim Ayub, Salman Irshad, Usman Qadir, Haseebullah Khan, Sufyan Muqeem and James Neesham
Multan Sultans Squad for PSL 8:Â David Miller, Josh Little, Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, Shan Masood, Akeal Hosein, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tim David, Anwar Ali, Sameen Gul, Sarwar Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah, Adil Rashid and Arafat Minhas