Shan Masood: “There’s no competition between the two”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has refused to pick sides when it comes to wicketkeeper-batsmen Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed, saying there is “no competition between the two.”
Rizwan and Sarfaraz have been battling for a spot in the Test side, with both having been in and out of the playing XI.
During the recent three-Test series against Australia, Sarfaraz was selected for the first Test in Perth, but only managed to make scores of 3 and 4.
He was subsequently replaced by Rizwan for the second and third Tests, who proceeded to score 193 runs, which included a top score of 88, at an average of 48.25.
Despite this, Masood played down having any preference when it comes to picking between the duo.
“There’s no competition between the two,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
After losing 3-0 to Australia, Pakistan took on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, which they lost 4-1.
Masood, Rizwan and Sarfaraz will now captain the Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators respectively in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), which begins on February 17.
Karachi Kings Squad for PSL 9: Shan Masood (captain), James Vince, Hasan Ali, Shoaib Malik, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Kieron Pollard (partially available), Zahid Mehmood, Daniel Sams, Mohammad Nawaz, Tim Seifert (reserved), Mohammad Amir Khan, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin, Saad Baig, Jamie Overton, Leus Du Plooy, Mohammad Rohid
Multan Sultans Squad for PSL 9: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah, Faisal Akram, David Willey, Dawid Malan, Reece Topley, Reeza Hendricks, Tayyab Tahir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Ali, Usman Khan, Yasir Khan, Chris Jordan, Aftab Ibrahim, Johnson Charles, Mohammad Shahzad
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 9: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Rilee Rossouw, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga (partially available), Bismillah Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain, Will Smeed, Sherfane Rutherford, Mohammad Amir, Saud Shakeel, Sajjad Ali Jnr, Usman Qadir, Omair Bin Yousuf, Adil Naz, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Sohail Khan, Laurie Evans