New Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan stated in his first message to the team that he will not act like a king but aims to serve his teammates. He took over the captaincy on October 27 after Babar Azam stepped down following the T20 World Cup disappointment.
During the press conference, Rizwan emphasized that the entire Pakistan team is united as one group. He promised to ensure that all 15 squad members take on leadership roles in their own way.
Rizwan stated that if he viewed himself as the king while captain, it could lead to problems, emphasizing that his role is to support the squad members. The new captain assured that the team would consistently display a fighting spirit on the field.
“If I start considering myself a king as captain, then everything will fall apart. Rather, as a leader, I am here to serve the 15 men of the team. This is how it should be.”
“Regarding achievements, Inshallah, we have the messages and support from everyone in our box, who are asking us only one thing: fight, fight, and fight. They keep sending us this message again and again, and we will try our best, Inshallah, to show the whole nation that there is no lack of fight in us.”
“We have left the results to Allah, and whatever the outcome, we accept it. But in terms of fighting spirit, there will be no shortage—this is our guarantee,” said Rizwan.
No factionalism in Pakistan
Rizwan dismissed allegations of factionalism within the team, asserting that Pakistan operates as a single unit. The wicketkeeper stated that the squad would have “15 captains,” with each member taking on a leadership role in their own way.
“Look, as far as these rumours are concerned, they may have been heard from somewhere, but if I am part of a group, it’s the Pakistan team’s group—our whole group. Now that I am captain, for me, the most important thing is that all fifteen players of Pakistan are captains in their own way.”
“My role as captain is to carry out tasks, attend presentations, and handle conferences. I’m doing these things, and, Inshallah, all of our Pakistan team members are also captains in their own right because, as you can see, everyone is leading in one way or another,” said Rizwan.
Rizwan’s first task will be the ODIs against Australia in their home series.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
