Babar, Rizwan can return to Pakistan's T20I squad anytime: skipper Farhan

Pakistan T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan on Thursday said that star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan can return to the national side’s T20I squad at any time.

Speaking at the pre-series press conference ahead of Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka, Farhan praised the experienced duo while discussing the team’s current composition and future prospects.

“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are the best players in the world. Babar and Rizwan can return to T20 cricket at any time,” Farhan said.

Babar and Rizwan are among Pakistan’s leading run-scorers in T20Is, with Babar having accumulated 4,596 runs, followed by Rizwan with 3,414.

Babar’s most recent T20I appearance came against England at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on February 24 this year during the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, while Rizwan last represented Pakistan in the format in 2024 against South Africa.

Neither player is part of the current T20I squad. Babar is set to feature in Pakistan’s upcoming ODI and Test assignments, while Rizwan is currently under investigation following a case registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

Farhan, who has previously captained teams in domestic cricket, said he was comfortable with the responsibilities that came with leading the national side and was not concerned about how long he would remain in the role.

“Captaincy is not a major issue for me because I have already led teams in domestic cricket,” he said.

The newly appointed T20I captain also praised former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, under whom he played extensively, and identified him as a leadership role model.

“I have played a lot under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, and I really liked his leadership. He was very relaxed, treated everyone exceptionally well on the field, and created a positive environment. I look up to him a lot,” he said.