Kane Williamson: “From the current crop, I’d say the players I know a little better off the field, which makes the connection easier – like Babar and Rizwan”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson thinks Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are two of the best batsmen Pakistan have today.
Having played against them on multiple occasions, Williamson knows how good the duo are.
Azam and Rizwan have been Pakistan’s most consistent run-scorers across all three formats for the last few years.
However, both of them have found themselves removed from the T20I team, with many believing it is due to their low strike-rates.
Nonetheless, Williamson pointed out there is no doubting their quality when it comes to their batting.
“From the current crop, I’d say the players I know a little better off the field, which makes the connection easier – like Babar and Rizwan,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam and Rizwan recently captained the Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans respectively in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Azam scored 288 runs in 10 games, which included three fifties, at an average of 36 and a strike-rate of 128.57.
As for Rizwan, he ended up making 367 runs in 10 matches, which included a century and a fifty, at an average of 52.42 and a strike-rate of 139.54.
Following PSL 10, Pakistan played a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore, but neither of them were included in the squad.
They also failed to make the cut for the tour of Bangladesh, where the men in green lost the T20I series 2-1.
Pakistan are now touring the West Indies and once again, both of them were ignored for the three-match T20I series.
However, Rizwan is now captaining Pakistan in the ODI series, while Azam is part of the squad as well.
In the 1st ODI, Rizwan scored 53 runs and Azam made 47 as Pakistan secured a five-wicket win.
The 2nd ODI will take place on August 10 in Trinidad.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem