Watch: Babar Azam's Powerful Shot Strikes Pakistan Bowling Coach Saeed Ajmal. This Happens next

Babar Azam is currently struggling with a lean patch. After a rather quiet ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, where he could not leave a big mark, Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team. Shan Massod took over the Test captaincy while Shaheen Afridi took over the T20I captaincy. After the Cricket World Cup, Pakistan's first assignment was a three-Test series against Australia which it lost 3-0. Babar Azam did not have a good Tour in Australia too as he could go past the 40-mark only once in six innings.

The Pakistan cricket team will next face New Zealand in a T20I series. The preparation for it has already begun. In a video which has gone viral on social media, it can be seen that Babar Azam is having a go at the nets. One of his powerful shots even hit Pakistan bowling coach Saeed Ajmal.

Pakistan's first training session going on in Auckland. They are practicing for New Zealand T20Is

Babar Azam's shot has hit Saeed Ajmal, hope he's fine and nothing serious #NZvsPAK pic.twitter.com/F1x8sC49tY

Batter Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed as Pakistan's T20I vice-captain, joining the leadership group under captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday.

"Rizwan's first assignment as deputy to Shaheen Shah Afridi will be the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled to take place in New Zealand from 12 January," PCB said in an official statement.

Babar Azam announced his decision to step down as Pakistan captain from all formats of the game after his side's debacle in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India last year. Later, PCB announced that Afridi would take over as T20I captain after Babar's decision to step down.

The 31-year-old Rizwan has featured in 85 T20Is,