Pakistan’s wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is nearing another milestone in his remarkable career as the Green Shirts prepare to host New Zealand for a five-match T20I series.
Rizwan, who made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in 2015, is on the verge of breaking Virat Kohli and Babar Azam’s record of becoming the fastest player to score 3,000 runs in T20I cricket.
Kohli and Babar both completed 3,000 runs in the shorter format in 81 innings each in 2021 and 2022 respectively against the same opponent, England.
Rizwan, 31, has amassed 2,981 runs in 78 T20I innings so far and he is just 19 runs away from becoming the fastest player to score 3,000 runs in T20I cricket, overtaking Kohli and Babar.
While doing so, he would also become just the second Pakistani to cross the 3000-run mark in T20I cricket as only Babar (3,698) has accumulated more runs than the 31-year-old for Pakistan.
Remember, New Zealand's squad touched down in Islamabad on Sunday, meanwhile Pakistan team has also assembled in the federal capital after Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner and Kane Williamson won’t feature in the series due to Indian Premier League commitments.
On the other hand, pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim, who recently reversed their retirement, have made a comeback in the Pakistan squad for the series.
Irfan Khan and Usman Khan have got the nod of selectors after impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan
Reserves: Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
New Zealand squad
Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (WK), Ish Sodhi, Tom Blundell, Zak Foulkes.
Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I series schedule
April 18 — 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
April 20 — 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 21 — 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 25 — 4th T20I, Lahore
April 27 — 5th T20I, Lahore
- Mohammad Rizwan
