Mohammad Rizwan

When Pakistan needed a composed presence at the top of a T20 chase, Mohammad Rizwan repeatedly provided it, never more memorably than with his unbeaten 79 against India at the 2021 T20 World Cup. That cool, calculated innings in Dubai sealed Pakistan's first World Cup win over their rivals and confirmed him as a white-ball anchor, though his grit had been forged over years in domestic cricket and a slow-burning Test career.

Rizwan's rise was unconventional. He debuted in ODIs in 2015, but his place was never secure until a string of gritty performances in 2019-20, particularly with the gloves and bat in Australia and England, made him indispensable. He then formed one half of Pakistan's most prolific T20 opening pair with Babar Azam, and in 2021 he scored more T20I runs in a calendar year than anyone before him, adapting his busy, wristy game and relentless running to whatever the chase demanded.

Off the field he is a devoted family man and a vocal advocate for fitness. He was appointed Pakistan's white-ball captain in late 2024 and led the side at the 2025 Champions Trophy, though the selectors moved on from him within a year. He captains Multan Sultans in the PSL and remains a bedrock of Pakistan's batting, known for his faith, his relentless practice and a willingness to block and grind when the team needs it, even as he has grown into a six-hitter in the shortest format.