Rizwan stresses adapting to conditions for successful South Africa tour

RNN Staff

Dec 10, 2024 - 16:33

1 / 1

1. Team will not rest on their past laurels against Proteas, will focus on current challenge, says skipper

Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, has stressed the importance of quickly adapting to South African conditions for a successful tour against the Proteas.

“As professional players, we must acclimatize quickly and perform well,” Rizwan stated while speaking to the media outside Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban, ahead of the first T20I against South Africa.

Rizwan’s comments come as the Pakistan team prepares to begin their South Africa tour, which includes a three-match T20I series followed by an equal number of ODIs. The tour will conclude with two Test matches, the last of which will end on January 7.

Pakistan is hoping to replicate their 2021 performance when they won the T20I series 3-1. After drawing the first two T20Is at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, they secured victories in the following two at Centurion.

Although South Africa has traditionally been a challenging venue for Pakistan, the last time they toured, they won the ODI series 2-1, thanks to a spectacular performance by Fakhar Zaman. However, Pakistan will miss Zaman this time around, as he was ruled unfit to play in the international series.

Rizwan’s T20 squad sees the return of key players, including himself, who was rested during the Zimbabwe series, along with Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, all of whom bring added depth and experience to the side.

While discussing the series, Rizwan emphasized that the team was not intimidated by South Africa's strong home record and was focused on achieving success. He acknowledged the challenges posed by unfamiliar pitch conditions and weather but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to adapt.

Rizwan also praised the young players, noting their strong performances in Australia and Zimbabwe, which have contributed to the team's depth. He highlighted the good team chemistry, with young players learning from senior teammates.

Addressing the issue of team composition, Rizwan mentioned that the team performed well in the recent white-ball series in Australia and Zimbabwe and that the selectors would likely choose a different squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026, based on the specific conditions of those tournaments.

When asked about Fakhar Zaman’s exclusion from the squad, Rizwan acknowledged the left-handed batter's impact as a game-changer. He clarified that Fakhar’s absence was due to minor health issues, and that he had been advised to perform in the ongoing domestic T20 tournament under the PCB medical panel's supervision.

T20I Squads:

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)

South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Simelane, Rassie van der Dussen