Mohammad Rizwan | Photo: ANI
Mohammad Rizwan is reportedly disillusioned with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following what insiders describe as a disrespectful handling of his role and that of fellow senior player Babar Azam. The fallout comes in the wake of Pakistan’s dismal Champions Trophy campaign at home, where the national side bowed out in the group stage without registering a single win.
The board, keen to usher in a more aggressive style of play, took a drastic step by dropping both Rizwan and Babar from the T20I squad that toured New Zealand. Salman Agha was named captain of a newly-assembled squad for the five-match series, in what the PCB claimed was a shift towards experimentation. But according to Telecom Asia Sport, the senior duo were neither informed nor consulted prior to the announcement — a move that appears to have blindsided them.
Sources told the publication that Rizwan has been left “frustrated” by the lack of communication and is now set to meet PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi alongside Babar Azam “to get clarity on his selection in the T20I format.” The report also noted that Rizwan “wants more power as captain or else will resign.”
Tensions behind the scenes appear to have escalated during Pakistan’s ODI series in New Zealand, where Rizwan — who took charge as white-ball captain in October 2024 — reportedly clashed with interim head coach Aaqib Javed over team selection. The wicketkeeper-batter pushed for five frontline bowlers in the XI for the first two matches, but was overruled.
Instead, the team relied on part-time options Salman Agha and Irfan Khan, who together conceded 118 runs — a tactical misstep that further exposed the widening rift between team leadership and management.
A senior PCB insider told Telecom Asia Sport, “Rizwan will seek more power in the selection of eleven in the match and there is a possibility that if not given full powers then he might resign from ODI captaincy.”
Rizwan’s exclusion from the T20I setup came as a particular shock, especially after leading Pakistan in South Africa just weeks before the New Zealand tour. With the PCB now shifting its focus to the T20 World Cup in 2025, questions are being raised about the consistency and clarity of selection decisions.
“Rizwan is due to meet the PCB chairman as soon as possible to seek clarity on his exclusion from the T20I squad,” a source confirmed.
Meanwhile, uncertainty also looms over Aaqib Javed’s future. Though he was appointed interim white-ball coach last November until the end of the 2025 Champions Trophy, sources say the PCB has initiated talks with several foreign candidates as potential replacements. Former Pakistan players are also reportedly being considered.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
