Rizwan says has no ‘ambitions’ to be next captain

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Super League (PSL) VI champions Multan Sultans’ captain Mohammad Rizwan said he has no undue intention of displacing Babar Azam from team’s captaincy in any format, saying that as a strong follower of the religion (Islam) he will get whatever destiny has for him.

In a response to ‘The News’ question during virtual media talk from Derby Tuesday that after leading Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Multan Sultans to victories in one after other domestic events, was he willing to lead Pakistan in any format? Rizwan said he would never run after anything.

“Whatever Allah Almighty has written for me I will accept it. As a strong believer, I can only say that I would never show or express my willingness for captaincy. However, whenever I would be offered captaincy I would accept it and make my best efforts to justify it. I am vice-captain for the longer format and know well that Babar Azam is an excellent captain. He has taken some tough decisions at crucial times during the last few series. I am fully backing Babar as a captain and would continue to do so.”

In response to another question, which was related to drawing a comparison to his and Babar’s performance in the recent series, Rizwan said he was not shy of accepting the responsibility if any of the top batsmen was not scoring.

“Instead of feeling the pressure, I always enjoy accepting responsibilities and try to give my best efforts to help the team come out of a tough situation. Babar has also been consistent. Together with Babar, I scored a double century in one of the T20 matches against South Africa in recent times. We definitely have problems when it comes to middle-order batting. But I think with the inclusion of some of the players including Sohaib Maqsood who usually plays lower down the order, things would become much better from Pakistan’s perspective. Our coaches have done enough homework to fill that vacuum.”

He was excited at the formidable look of Pakistan top-order with the likes of Fakhar Zaman, Sharjeel, Babar, and he himself there to make a foursome special.

“Pakistan is lucky to have a plenty of options and that too of a top-quality when it comes to top-order batting in limited-overs cricket. But I am ready to serve the team wherever management wanted me. Babar and I play according to the requirements.”

On Pakistan team’s prospects for back-to-back limited-overs series against England, he said it was nothing new for the team to show their best here.

“We have always played top-class cricket in England and even have beaten the hosts in the World Cup despite their emerging as champions. So no one should take us easy as we have the best combination with us to match and beat the best. Shaheen Shah, Hasan Ali, Faheem, and all others are in top form and are coming out of a tough PSL. So I can predict a very good and competitive series against England.”

Rizwan praised a number of keepers and said that Australian Adam Gilchrist was the best. “I wanted to be like Zulquarnain who had immense potential as a keeper. Rashid Latif was also good. But keeping is a learning process where you keep on accepting some fresh art. When it comes to a quality batsman I had more than one at different times. Now I love to watch AB de Villiers in action.”

Pakistan Test vice-captain said he would love to play amid spectators. “Spectators are the essence of cricket and I am glad we are back in front of spectators. If in one country we have more fans other than at home, it is in England so we always love to perform in front of fans here.”

Rizwan admitted that the team would miss Younis Khan as a batting coach.

Regarding going back to Multan to celebrate Sultans win, he said his priority had always been to play for the country. “We have got numerous challenges ahead of us. Series after series and then T20 World Cup, once we get free time and if required I will make myself available.”