Pakistan’s white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan is under fire after his sluggish 74 off 62 balls in the first T20I against South Africa. Despite his efforts, Pakistan failed to chase a target of 184, falling 12 runs short. Rizwan’s low strike rate of 119.35, coupled with his inability to accelerate, left fans frustrated as Pakistan suffered another setback in their white-ball campaign.
Chasing 184, Pakistan’s run chase lacked momentum, with Mohammad Rizwan anchoring the innings but failing to inject pace. Mohammad Rizwan reached his half-century in the 17th over, consuming 50 balls, leaving little time to accelerate. South Africa’s David Miller had earlier set the tone with a blistering 82 off 40 balls, giving the hosts a competitive total of 183.
Fans took to social media to express their disappointment, with many calling for Rizwan’s removal from the T20I setup. While one tweeted, “If Rizwan is not dropped permanently from this format after this innings then we, as a nation, have failed,” another one wrote, “That innings by Rizwan was so frustrating to watch, even as the fan of the opposition.”
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https://x.com/SabeehaMajid/status/1866586273051299898
https://x.com/ashaqeens/status/1866573908415017215
Rizwan took over the white-ball captaincy after Pakistan’s disappointing group-stage exit under Babar Azam at the T20 World Cup 2024. While his captaincy began on a positive note with an ODI series win against Australia, the team has since struggled in the T20 format, including a 3-0 whitewash against Australia.
This latest defeat to South Africa adds to the pressure on Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan trails in the three-match T20I series.
Pakistan’s South Africa tour is crucial, with Rizwan also set to lead the side in a three-match ODI series following the T20Is. The tour concludes with two pivotal Test matches, which will determine South Africa’s fate in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.
For Rizwan, the spotlight remains on his leadership and performance as Pakistan seeks to bounce back in the remaining matches.
