Mohammad Rizwan appointed as Pakistan's vice-captain in T20Is ahead of NZ tour

AUCKLAND: Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed as Pakistan's vice-captain in T20Is ahead of the five-game tour of New Zealand starting from January 12.

Rizwan will now work in tandem with new captain Shaheen Shah Afridi in the leadership group of the T20I team as Pakistan, the 2009 Men’s T20 World Cup winners, now build up their preparation for the 2024 edition of the tournament, happening in West Indies and USA from June 1-29.

"It is an honour to be named as the vice-captain of Pakistan Men’s T20I side. I am thankful to the PCB for entrusting me with this responsibility. I am looking forward to working closely with the captain, coaching staff, and my teammates to contribute to the team's success,” said Rizwan in a statement issued by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Rizwan, 31, has featured in 85 T20Is since his debut in the format in 2015, amassing 2,797 runs, including one century and 25 half-centuries. Behind the stumps, Rizwan has taken 41 catches and 11 stumpings.

Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain and wicket-keeper), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicket-keeper), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan

Series schedule:

1st T20I – January 12, Eden Park, Auckland

2nd T20I – January 14, Seddon Park, Hamilton

3rd T20I – January 17, University Oval, Dunedin

4th T20I – January 19, Hagley Oval, Christchurch

5th T20I – January 21, Hagley Oval, Christchurch