Pakistan ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan has joined St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the remainder of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, marking his maiden appearance in the tournament.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the franchise has roped in Rizwan as a replacement for Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who has been called up for national duty ahead of the upcoming tri-series in the UAE. The CPL is expected to officially confirm the signing within the next 24 hours.
Rizwan will now be the third Pakistani player in the Patriots squad this season, joining Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi. However, his availability for the side’s next clash against the Barbados Royals on Thursday remains uncertain.
The 33-year-old was left out of Pakistan’s squads for both the UAE tri-series and the Asia Cup 2025, making him available for overseas league cricket. This CPL deal also completes his quota of two overseas T20 leagues in a 12-month period under Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regulations, as he has already signed with Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL).
Rizwan is no stranger to franchise cricket. He previously featured in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) from 2017 to 2024, representing Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians, where he scored 478 runs in 17 matches at an average of 39.83 with four half-centuries.
In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Rizwan captains Multan Sultans and famously led them to their maiden title in 2021. Across 93 PSL games, he has scored 2,770 runs at an impressive average of 42.61, including 21 fifties and two centuries.
The Patriots, who won CPL titles in 2017 and 2021, have endured a difficult start this season. After winning their opening game, they suffered three straight defeats and currently sits on fourth on the points table.
Meanwhile, other Pakistani players featuring in the CPL 2025 include Usama Mir as well as Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, and Salman Irshad.