Pakistan batsman Mohammad Haris: “I have no desire to be captain. I prefer focusing on my own performance and fulfilling the role the team expects from me”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan power-hitter Mohammad Haris has announced that he has “no desire to be captain”.
Haris recently returned to the national team, but instead of focusing his attention on the leadership role, he is more concerned about living up to expectations and cementing his spot in the side.
The 24-year-old’s comments come at a time when there has been a lot of talk about the captaincy and whether Pakistan might shake things up, especially in Tests and ODIs. Currently, Shan Masood leads the Test team, while Rizwan is in charge in ODIs.
Despite all the speculation, Haris reiterated he has no intention of throwing his hat in the ring to become captain – even if the opportunity does arise in the near future.
“I have no desire to be captain. I prefer focusing on my own performance and fulfilling the role the team expects from me,” the Peshawar native was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Haris recently played for the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and amassed 247 runs in 10 matches, which included a top score of 87, at an average of 27.44 and a strike-rate of 148.79.
He maintained his good form during Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore as he accumulated 179 runs, which included a career-best knock of 107 not out, at an average of 89.50 and a strike-rate of 201.12.
However, things didn’t go as well during the tour of Bangladesh as he only managed to make nine runs in three T20Is at an average of three and a strike-rate of 50.
Haris then toured the West Indies with the Pakistan team and struck 12 runs in three T20Is at an average of six and a strike-rate of 133.33.
He didn’t feature in the three-match ODI series that followed.
Pakistan won the T20I series 2-1, but lost the ODI series 2-1.
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