Skip to main content

Rizwan Bashed For Huge Blunder In Tri-Series Final: "Mind-Boggling To..."

Veteran batter Ahmed Shahzad has lashed out at Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan for his "mind-boggling" blunder to bat first in the tri-nation series final against New Zealand. On Friday, New Zealand beat Pakistan by 5 wickets to win the tri-nation series final at the National Stadium in Karachi. After opting to bat first, Pakistan were bowled out for 242 on a two-paced track, and New Zealand achieved the target in just 45.2 overs. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shahzad questioned Rizwan's decision to bat, especially after Pakistan chased down 353 a couple of days prior against South Africa at the very same ground.

"It was a mind-boggling decision (to bat first) because we had seen in the previous match that the pitch becomes better to bat on in the night, the ball doesn't grip on the surface for the spinners. Still, the Pakistan team decided to bat first," Shahzad said on his YouTube channel.

Shahzad feels Pakistan are only capable of beating second or third-string oppositions, adding that the Rizwan-led side has been brutally exposed by New Zealand ahead of the Champions Trophy.

"Pakistan's bubble has burst ahead of the Champions Trophy. You get a chance to win only when the opposition performs below par or doesn't have their main players playing," he added.

Shahzad also questioned the logic behind the decision to drop pacer Mohammad Hasnain at the expense of all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, especially considering that the latter only bowled two overs in the match.

"In his every decision, the Pakistan captain wants to play safe with batting, be it by being a spinner short in the Champions Trophy squad or this match, where they played (bowling all-rounder) Faheem Ashraf to have a longer batting line-up at the expense of (fast bowler) Mohammad Hasnain and still used him (Ashraf) for just two overs," Shahzad pointed out.

After the match, Rizwan had explained the logic behind his decision to bat first.

"We wanted to bat first because we thought in the second half, the pitch would be tough. But their bowlers put a squeeze on us. We were looking to target 280 but they got it back. We were 15 runs short. They were bowling very well. Me and Agha were trying to build the stand. We tried doing that, but they were not giving us the balls. We kept the target to 280, not 300. My wicket was crucial. [Fielding] We have to bring the improvement. This is one department we are lacking. [Abrar] He has really improved. The others have to improve as well. [CT'25] We wanted to prepare for the 19th as well. So that is why we wanted to bat first as well," Rizwan said at the post-match presentation ceremony.



source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mohammad-rizwan-bashed-for-huge-blunder-in-tri-series-final-mind-boggling-7717382

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

156.7 Kmph Sensation Awaits India Debut, Bangladesh Start Life After Shakib

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India's T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday. Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament. Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent. The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It is yet to be figured if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL. Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could also make their India debut over the course of the series. Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T...
Post a Comment
Read more

PCB Not Happy With Pak Star Over Social Media Post On Babar Snub: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not pleased that Fakhar Zaman questioned the selection panel's decision to sideline Babar Azam from the Test side. The panel dropped former captain Babar Azam when they announced the squad for the remaining two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Zaman took to X to question the decision, inviting the ire of the PCB. "The top board officials are not pleased with the tweet sent out by Fakhar and relevant persons are having a word with him about it," a well-informed PCB source said. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on sa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shakib Al Hasan's Fans Attacked During Protest In Dhaka Amid Tight Security

A group of people attacked Shakib Al Hasan's fans during a protest in Dhaka on Sunday amid tight security, an eye witness said. Shakib Al Hasan wanted to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB responded positively to his request and included him in the squad against South Africa. But he was advised by the Bangladesh government not to enter the country due to security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the US. Fans had been protesting outside the cricket stadium in Mirpur for several days to protest against Shakib's ban from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a group of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At that time, the army and law enforcement personnel who were there brought the situation under control by blowing whistles. Notably, Shakib officially joined the Awami League party in 2023. He filed the nomination from the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami...
Post a Comment
Read more