Highlights: Mohammad Rizwan made a half-century on the first day of Pakistan’s practice match ahead of the Boxing Day Test to press his case to take back the gloves from Sarfaraz Ahmed.
The 31-year-old made 50 before retiring unbeaten, with Saud Shakeel (70*) and Salman Ali Agha (52) Pakistan’s other two half-centurions. Sarfaraz contributed 35 at better than a run a ball, before Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Will Pucovski in the first over. The practice game, against a Victoria XI, was hastily arranged mid-series with Pakistan keen for more time in the middle.
Rizwan’s innings may bolster his argument to win selection for the second Test of the series as the tourists look to bounce back from a 360-run hammering in the opener. Pakistan will have to make at least one change, with debutant Khurram Shahzad ruled out, and may be tempted to make another.
Sarfaraz struggled in the first Test of the series, making seven runs across two innings and missing a costly stumping chance off David Warner. He has been Pakistan’s incumbent wicketkeeper since the end of last year, named Player of the Series on comeback against New Zealand for making three fifties and a century. He made 17, 1 and 14* before retiring hurt against Sri Lanka in Pakistan’s other Test engagement.
Rizwan came in as a concussion substitute in that game and made a half-century, having lost his place to Sarfaraz in 2022 after a lean patch. Following a century against Australia in his second Test of 2022, he went 12 innings without a half-century, though did reach double figures in nine of those knocks. He remains a mainstay for Pakistan in T20I and ODI cricket, and was one of the few to emerge with credit from a World Cup campaign which saw Babar Azam’s side fall short of expectations.
Before his recall, Sarfaraz had been out of the side since 2019. Sarfaraz is five years older than Rizwan, and his overall Test record is marginally inferior, averaging 37.41 to Rizwan’s 39.52. Rizwan is also rated as the superior wicketkeeper of the two.
Watch highlights of the first day of the Pakistan practice match below:
🎥 Highlights of Day 1️⃣ of the practice match between Pakistan and Victoria XI at Junction Oval, Melbourne 🏏#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/0GBbencK0V
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 22, 2023
