PCB pondering over resting Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan for Afghanistan, New Zealand T20Is to manage workloads
PCB set to rest Babar, Rizwan to manage workloads ahead of Asia Cup, World Cup
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is pondering over giving much-required rest to star players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf to manage workloads ahead of Asia Cup and World Cup later this year. As per the latest report in ESPNcricinfo, PCB might rest the trio for the upcoming Afghanistan T20Is and the New Zealand T20Is that follow.
Following the latest selection committee meeting in which workload management of several top players was one of the topics for discussion, the possibility of bringing in new players and resting the big names grew big time.
Considering the amount of cricket that these three players have played across all formats (including international and domestic) since the start of January 2021 - Rizwan (150), Babar (127) and Haris (125), giving them rest ahead of the second half of the year looks like a viable option.
Meanwhile, with this step comes another problem – the captaincy one, as Babar is an all-format skipper, and not having him for nearly eight T20 matches (three against Afghanistan and five against New Zealand), meaning the appointment of a new skipper. While talks in the PCB have suggested that Shadab Khan is looked up to as a potential option, the board is also keen on getting ace seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi to lead the Pakistan's T20I side in Babar’s absence. As reported by the same publication, PCB is believed to have approached him for the role early this year.
Returning from the knee injury that saw him missing major part of last year’s cricket including the home series against England and New Zealand, the 22-year-old Afridi is not bad for an option given his credentials in the PSL lately.
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With the limited experience of leading his team Lahore Qalandars in around 22 matches so far, Afridi had led to their maiden PSL title in 2022 and under his tutelage this time also, they have reached the playoffs.
Though no confirmation on the same is out yet, a decision around this call will be taken anytime soon.
