Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are set to meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in the coming days regarding their omission from the T20I squad and to discuss the possibility of Rizwan retaining his powers as captain for future matches.

According to Telecom Asia Sport, the sources close to Rizwan revealed about the meeting to seek clarity on his axing from the T20I side.

Sources revealed that Rizwan had a disagreement with head coach Aaqib Javed over the selection of the playing XI for the first two matches, as he advocated for the inclusion of five regular bowlers.

Pakistan opted for four regular bowlers, relying on part-timers Salman Agha and Irfan Khan to bowl the remaining 10 overs. This decision backfired, as the two part-timers collectively conceded 118 runs.

According to sources, Rizwan intends to push for more influence in the selection of the playing XI for future matches, and there is a possibility that if he isn’t granted full authority, he may consider stepping down from the ODI captaincy.

Additionally, sources mentioned that the PCB has already reached out to several foreign coaches to replace interim head coach Aaqib Javed, while some former Pakistan players are also being considered for the role.

The players will be occupied with the Pakistan Super League until May 18, after which they will host Bangladesh for five T20Is.

Rizwan is expected to seek clarity regarding his exclusion from the T20I squad and gain a better understanding of the level of freedom he will have as captain in white-ball cricket moving forward.

Read more

Aaqib Javed appointed head coach of Pakistan Cricket Team

Big changes made as PCB announces squads for New Zealand series

Pakistan cricket keeps shooting itself in the foot, says Mickey Arthur