Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batter, has come under fire for his perceived role in the team’s defeat against New Zealand in the last T20I match played on April 24 in Rawalpindi. While Rizwan scored an impressive 98 not out, fans and followers noticed that he slowed down considerably as he approached his second T20I century, and Pakistan ended up scoring only 28 runs in the last three overs.
In the final over of the innings, Imad Wasim tried to take a single to give Rizwan the strike so that he could complete his century. However, this strategy was not well-received by fans and followers of the game, who felt that personal milestones should not take precedence over the team’s victory.
Addressing this issue at a press conference in Karachi, Rizwan clarified that the team’s objective was to score around 180 runs, as per the message from the dressing room. He also denied that there was any conversation about taking a single, stating that Imad Wasim went for it because he believed that the score was good enough for the pitch.
Unfortunately, Imad Wasim got run-out on the fourth delivery of the last over, and Rizwan also missed out on his century. The team faced criticism for this outcome, which Rizwan accepted, acknowledging that they made a mistake.
Rizwan also noted that there were other factors that contributed to their loss, such as the due factor and misfielding. He emphasized that personal milestones did not matter to him, and that the team’s focus was on the plan given to them by the captain.
While Rizwan’s performance was impressive, the team’s defeat against New Zealand has raised concerns about their overall strategy and approach. Rizwan’s clarification on the issue is a step in the right direction in terms of addressing these concerns and working towards improvement.
