We are hopeful of beating Australia on their turf, says newly appointed Pakistani white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan’s newly-appointed white-ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan has expressed hope of beating Australia on their home turf.

Rizwan replaced Babar Azam to become the skipper of the national squad which received a blow this year after the team failed to cross the group stage of the T20 World Cup.

In a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Rizwan said: “There is no doubt we have always faced difficulties in Australia.”

“But I believe the team going now will meet the nation’s expectations,” he said.

“We are hopeful we will beat Australia in Australia,” he said.

“We all need to fight there,” he said.

Rizwan said his team needs to prepare for the Champions League, World Cup and Olympics.

“We are all having a vision. We need to set our vision for the World Cup, Champions Trophy and even Olympics. We will fight all obstacles,” he said.

The 32-year-old Rizwan, who debuted in white-ball cricket in 2015, has played 74 ODIs and 102 T20Is to date, scoring 5,401 runs with four centuries and accounting for 143 dismissals behind the stumps.

As he leads the team in the opening ODI against Australia in Melbourne on 4 November, Rizwan will become Pakistan’s 31st captain.

For the first T20I in Brisbane on 14 November, he will be the 12th to captain Pakistan in the format.

Mohammad Rizwan said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. Representing Pakistan on the global stage is the greatest privilege and to now be entrusted with leading such a talented and exciting group of players is a tremendous honour. Joining the ranks of some of Pakistan’s legendary limited-overs captains truly is the icing on the cake.”

Gary Kirsten quits

India’s 2011 World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten, who was recently appointed by Pakistan, on Monday quit as white-ball coach of the country.

Jason Gillespie will play the role of head coach in Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced Jason Gillespie will coach the Pakistan men’s cricket team on next month’s white-ball tour of Australia after Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted,” read a statement issued by the PCB.

Pakistani cricketers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez after Gary Kirsten resigned from the position.

Shahzad wrote on X: “Another day Another Humiliation for PCB Management. Empty promises & lies don’t go well with everyone.We have to stick to our words, if we want to survive in MODERN day cricket.”

Hafeez expressed his disappointment and wrote on the micro-blogging platform: ” Total Incompetence #Chaos.”