No One Comes Close to Babar and Rizwan, Says Sahibzada Farhan
RAWALPINDI: Sahibzada Farhan is set to lead Pakistan into a new T20I campaign against Sri Lanka, with the newly appointed captain drawing on his experience under former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed as he takes charge of the national side.
Farhan said Sarfaraz’s relaxed approach and ability to create a positive team environment had influenced his own view of leadership. “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.
The Pakistan captain also played down questions about his future in the role, saying his previous domestic captaincy experience had made him comfortable with the responsibility. “Captaincy is not a major issue for me because I have already led teams in domestic cricket,” he said.
With Pakistan beginning the Sri Lanka series without two of its most experienced T20I batters, Farhan also addressed the possibility of their return. Farhan praised Babar and Rizwan, calling both players among the best in the world and leaving the door open for their return to the format.
“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 currently occupy the top two positions among Pakistan’s T20I run-scorers. Babar has accumulated 4,596 runs in the format, while Rizwan has scored 3,414.
Neither player has been selected for the ongoing T20I setup. Babar’s most recent appearance came against England at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on 24 February during the 2026 T20 World Cup, while Rizwan last played a T20I against South Africa in 2024.
Babar remains part of Pakistan’s plans for the upcoming ODI and Test assignments. Rizwan, meanwhile, is under investigation in connection with a case registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Farhan will now lead Pakistan into the Sri Lanka series as the team assesses its current T20I combination. His first assignment will also provide an early indication of how the new captain intends to balance experienced players with the next generation of Pakistan’s limited-overs talent.
