PAARL: Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan on Monday revealed that the team is currently leaning towards ODIs to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
Rizwan, while addressing a press conference ahead of Pakistan’s three-match away ODI series against South Africa, acknowledged that the national team failed to secure the desired results in the T20Is, but insisted that their focus remains solely on preparation for the eight-team tournament.
“Whatever failures we faced in the past, we leave them in the past, but we learn from them,” Rizwan said.
“Yes, we didn’t achieve the desired results in the T20I series, but personally we are more focused on the ODIs to prepare for the Champions Trophy.
“T20Is and ODIs are two different formats. So, we would try to continue our winning streak in ODIs.”
The wicketkeeper-batsman admitted that South Africa, who defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the recently concluded T20I series, would have an ‘edge’ in the ODIs, but remained confident in his team’s recent progress in the longer format, which includes a history 2- 1 away win in the Australia series.
“They gained momentum after winning the T20I series against us. They have the advantage, but we also recently beat Australia in Australia and then won a series in Zimbabwe.
“So it would be a tough competition because if they have momentum, so do we.”
The first ODI between Pakistan and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at Boland Park here, while the second and third ODIs will take place on December 17 and 22 at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town and at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. on December 17th and 19th, respectively.
Pakistan ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (ce sem), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (without).
South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Marco Jansen, Ottneil Baartman, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs.
Faizan Lakhani is deputy editor (sports) at Geo News.
