ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan has said senior batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan remain welcome to return to the national side in the shortest format whenever they are considered for selection.
Speaking at a pre-series press conference ahead of Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka, Farhan praised the experienced pair while discussing the team’s current composition and future prospects.
“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are among the best players in the world. They can return to T20 cricket at any time,” Farhan said.
Babar and Rizwan remain among Pakistan’s most prolific run-scorers in T20 internationals. Babar has scored 4,596 T20I runs, while Rizwan has accumulated 3,414.
Babar’s most recent T20I appearance came against England at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on February 24 this year during the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Rizwan last represented Pakistan in the format in 2024 against South Africa.
Neither batter has been included in Pakistan’s current T20I squad. Babar is expected to feature in the national team’s upcoming ODI and Test assignments, while Rizwan is currently facing an investigation in connection with a case registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Pakistan’s T20I captain Farhan Comfortable with Captaincy Role
Farhan, who has previously led teams in domestic cricket, said he was comfortable with the responsibilities associated with captaining the national side and was not focused on how long he would remain in the position.
“Captaincy is not a major issue for me because I have already led teams in domestic cricket,” he said.
The newly appointed T20I captain also spoke highly of former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, under whom he played extensively, and identified him as one of his leadership role models.
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“I have played a lot under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, and I really liked his leadership. He was very relaxed, treated everyone exceptionally well on the field and created a positive environment. I look up to him a lot,” Farhan said.
Farhan’s comments underline Pakistan’s confidence in its current T20I setup while keeping the door open for the return of two of the country’s most experienced white-ball batters in the future.
