Mohammad Rizwan, who is not a part of Pakistan’s playing XI for the ongoing first Test against New Zealand in Karachi, led the team out on to the field at the start of the third day, with news coming out that Babar Azam, the regular captain, and two other players were down with flu.
As such, the laws of the game bar substitutes from leading a side. Rizwan was spotted moving his fielders around but, in theory, any fielder can do that. Word from the team management initially was that Rizwan – the side’s designated vice-captain – is the acting captain in Babar’s absence, but for reviews, Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former captain who is in the XI after a long gap, is in charge. That came into play in the 53rd over, when Sarfaraz reviewed the umpire’s not-out decision when Nauman Ali struck Devon Conway on the pads, and got it overturned in Pakistan’s favour.
By then, however, the Pakistan team management had been told that substitutes can’t lead a side on the field, and clarified that Sarfaraz, and not Rizwan, was the stand-in captain.
More to follow
Source: ESPN Crickinfo