Former Pakistan pacer Sikandar Bakht sharply criticized captain Mohammad Rizwan for skipping the National T20 Championship.
Rizwan chose to participate in club cricket instead, which angered Bakht. The commentator emphasized that players must attend PCB-organised events as employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). “They earn Rs 60 lakh a month, so they should not be playing club cricket,” Bakht stated on Geo News. “The PCB must ensure their availability.”
Bakht urged PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to take a firm stance, stating, “This cannot happen. While Naqvi seems polite, he needs to be stricter. He should stop their central contracts.” Meanwhile, Rizwan was seen playing club cricket in Peshawar on Sunday, and social media buzzed with photos of his no-look shots. After returning from Umrah in Mecca, Rizwan opted for some relaxation before the upcoming ODIs against New Zealand.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah's absence from the National T20 due to personal reasons#PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/3N1Nvgrely
— Au Rangzab Younis (@SardarAurangzab) March 14, 2025More Stars Skip Mohammad Rizwan National T20 Trend
Rizwan isn’t alone in his absence; Babar Azam and Naseem Shah also initially skipped the National T20 Championship. However, they rejoined the Lahore Blues on Tuesday for their match against Karachi Whites. Babar scored 22 runs off 17 balls, hitting three boundaries, while Naseem struggled, conceding 41 runs in four overs without taking a wicket. Their return came after they were omitted from Pakistan’s current T20 series in New Zealand, where a revamped side lost the opening match by nine wickets.
Rizwan, Babar, and Naseem will play in the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand. For now, Bakht’s comments spotlight tensions between player choices and PCB expectations.
