Mohammad Rizwan has once again been the headlines in the cricket world as Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman scored an outstanding century in his side’s three runs victory against South Africa in the first T20I.
Pakistan scored 169 from their twenty overs. Out of which, Rizwan scored 104 runs for his side. Then again, as acrobatic his wicket-keeping skills has been, he attempted two dismissals behind the wicket. Including that outstanding run out to Heinrich Klassen, who was the top-scorer for South Africa with 54.
It seems that Mohammad Rizwan has completely eliminated former captain Sarfraz Ahmed from the first choice wicket-keeper or even as batsman from the side. Sarfraz’s replacement has become the only Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman to score a hundred in the T20I format.
Before this match, opener Ahmed Shehzad was the only Pakistan batsman to score a century in a T20I match against Bangladesh in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014. In fact, Ahmed Shehzad was the only Pakistan player to score a century in all formats of international cricket. Until this innings of Mohammad Rizwan has arrived.
Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s opener?
Pakistan have been on short with the openers lately. Fakhar Zaman has been in terrible form lately. Shajeel Khan will not look to be pick by management anytime soon. Haider Ali was tried, but he too is busy trying to get himself fit in the side.
However, ever since Mohammad Rizwan in the National T20 Cup, where he was the captain of eventual winners Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, opened the innings for his side and scored a century, people believed that he could become the opener for the national side as well.
Rizwan scored a century in National T20 Cup 2020
He was given his chance in the New Zealand tour, where he scored a run-a-ball 17 runs in the first game and then 22 in the second game. Eyebrows were raised whether he could live his expectations as Pakistan’s opener in the shortest format. But the very next game, He scored a match-winning 89. Pakistan had lost 2-0 before this game and Rizwan’s innings helped Pakistan chase the total of 174 down.
And then, the performance in the first T20I match against South Africa earned many praises from all around the world. It seems that Pakistan have even found their opening partner for Babar Azam.
Mohammad Rizwan has been a blessing for Pakistan lately.
Read more: List of records achieved by Mohammad Rizwan today
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