Muhammad Rizwan Speaks up after 4th straight loss against NZ, Changing the Pakistan Opening Pair of him and Babar will damage the Pakistan Cricket team.
Despite Mohammad Rizwan’s remarkable unbeaten innings of 90, Pakistan faced a setback as New Zealand secured a seven-wicket victory in the fourth T20I at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, securing a dominant 4-0 lead in the five-match series.
Pakistan, opting to bat first, encountered early challenges with opener Saim Ayub departing for just 1 run in the second over. Mohammad Rizwan’s resilient knock of 90, featuring six fours and two sixes in his 63-ball innings, formed the backbone of Pakistan’s total of 158 for five in 20 overs. Rizwan forged a 51-run partnership with Babar Azam and a crucial 40-run stand with Iftikhar Ahmed.
In the post-match press conference, Rizwan expressed his concerns about breaking the successful opening pair with Babar Azam in T20Is, stating, “You can say that it [breaking the Pakistan opening pair] has hurt Pakistan.” He acknowledged the cooperation with Babar in accepting the management’s decision to experiment with different combinations, even though it introduced challenges by altering a previously effective partnership.
As the fifth and final T20I approaches at the same venue on Sunday, Pakistan aims to salvage a win, while New Zealand looks to maintain their series dominance.