RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s newly appointed T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan has addressed the possibility of senior batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan returning to the national side in the shortest format.
Speaking at the pre-series press conference ahead of Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, Farhan backed the experienced duo and insisted that the door remained open for their return.
“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.
Both batters have been integral to Pakistan’s T20I setup over the years and remain among the country’s leading run-scorers in the format.
Babar has amassed 4,596 runs in T20Is, while Rizwan has scored 3,414 runs. However, neither player is currently part of Pakistan’s T20I squad.
Babar last represented Pakistan in the shortest format against England at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on February 24 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Rizwan has not featured in a T20I since Pakistan’s series against South Africa in 2024.
Although Babar remains in contention for Pakistan’s upcoming ODI and Test assignments, Rizwan is currently facing an investigation in connection with a case registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Farhan’s remarks have once again brought attention to the international T20 futures of the two senior batters as Pakistan continue to explore different combinations in the shortest format.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed captain also spoke about taking charge of the national team, expressing confidence in his leadership abilities.
Farhan, who has previously captained teams in domestic cricket, maintained that leading Pakistan would not add unnecessary pressure and said he was not concerned about the duration of his captaincy tenure.
“Captaincy is not a major issue for me because I have already led teams in domestic cricket,” he said.
The Pakistan opener also revealed that former national captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been a major influence on his approach to leadership.
Farhan, who played extensively under Sarfaraz during his domestic career, praised the former wicketkeeper-batter for maintaining a positive dressing-room atmosphere and treating players with respect.
“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,” Farhan stated.
Pakistan will begin their three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Friday, with Farhan set to lead the national side in his first assignment as captain.