Shahid Afridi: “Rizwan was the best choice as the Pakistan captain after Babar Azam”

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Legendary Pakistan power-hitter Shahid Afridi is glad Mohammad Rizwan was named limited overs captain, saying he was the “best choice” to replace Babar Azam.

Azam was Pakistan’s white-ball skipper for around six months before stepping down from the role.

There had been a lot of speculation about who would succeed the 30-year-old, with Rizwan’s name being among the frontrunners.

Ultimately, it was the 32-year-old from Peshawar who was handed the leadership position.

“Rizwan was the best choice as the Pakistan captain after Babar Azam,” Afridi was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Rizwan made his captaincy debut during Pakistan’s tour of Australia, where the men in green started off by winning the ODIs 2-1, which gave them their first ODI series win in Australia since 2002.

In the T20Is that followed, the men in green were whitewashed 3-0.

Pakistan then travelled to Zimbabwe and won both the ODI and T20I series 2-1. However, it should be noted that Salman Ali Agha stood in as captain for Rizwan during the T20I series as the latter was rested.

The men in green are now facing South Africa and have had mixed results so far as they lost the T20I series 2-0, but managed to win the ODI series 3-0.

Currently, Pakistan and South Africa are playing two Tests, which the Proteas lead 1-0 after claiming a two-wicket win in the 1st Test in Centurion.

The 2nd Test will start on January 3 in Cape Town.

Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)

Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)

Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha

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