Pakistan’s seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan is hoping to use the Big Bash platform in Australia to claw his way back into the national T20 squad for next year’s World Cup.
Rizwan, a former captain of the ODI and T20I squads, has not been picked to play in the shortest format by the national selectors since December 2024, but he sees the Big Bash League (BBL) as a big opportunity to regain his spot back. “I am confident of performing well in the Big Bash and in Australia if you are successful everyone takes notice of you,” Rizwan told the media.
“I have always enjoyed playing the most in Australia because the competition level is very high and the Australians play their cricket in a very different manner. The level is so high that if a player does well in Australia he knows he can perform anywhere else,” he added.
Rizwan is set to leave for Australia with Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali to play in the Big Bash this week for Melbourne Renegades.
Pakistani selectors tried out young wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Haris this year but then dropped him for poor form and recalled Usman Khan who got some good scores against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in the recent tri-series. But Usman is not considered as good a wicketkeeper as Rizwan.
The 33-year-old Rizwan, who has an impressive average of 47 from 106 T20Is with one century and 30 half centuries, was dropped because of his low strike rate of 125 despite forming a reliable opening pair with Babar Azam. Babar, also sidelined from the format because of his inability to improve his strike rate, is now back in the team but at the number three spot.
Rizwan, who was removed as ODI captain in October to be replaced by Shaheen Shah Afridi, said like every other player he was also keen to get a chance to play for the country in the World Cup. “I am focussing a lot on my batting and adding new strokes to my range and the Big Bash is the best platform for me to show my worth again,” he said.
All-rounder Shadab Khan is another player whose performance would be closely followed by the selectors in the Big Bash. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, he is also in line for a comeback to the Pakistan squad.
