Rizwan was one of the champions of Pakistan’s comeback win. Batting as an opener, the ‘Player of the Match’ smashed a 46-ball 75 not out as the visitors chased down a challenging 193 for 7 posted by Ireland, who had stunned Pakistan by winning the opening match by five wickets.
Pakistan’s run-chase got off to a horror start as opener Saim Ayub (6) and skipper Babar Azam (0) fell early, leaving the visitor at 13 for 2 in the second over. Rizwan then launched a counter-attack along wish Fakhar Zaman, who hit a stroke-filled 78 off 40 balls.
They added 140 runs for third wicket to script Pakistan’s seven-wicket win. Wicketkeeper Azam Khan made a swashbuckling 30 not out off 10 balls.
Speaking at the post-match presentation after the match, Rizwan made an honest admission about the influence of Indian batting legend Kohli on the Pakistan batsmen.
Rizwan’s response came when he was asked about Kohli and him being the only two batters to average above 50 in T20Is.
“We have learnt a lot of things from Virat Kohli; I respect him,” said Rizwan.
Kohli averages 51.75 in T20Is, having scored 4037 runs in 109 innings at a strike rate of 138.15. Rizwan, on the other hand, averages 50.38 in T20Is for his 3124 runs in 82 innings, which have come at a strike rate of 127.92.
About the match and his partnership with Zaman, Rizwan said: “It was not an easy chase because the Ireland bowlers knew their conditions better. They gave us difficult time early on, but we decided that chasing 194, we have to attack. You’re always in pressure when you lose, especially with (T20) World Cup around the corner.”
The T20 World Cup is scheduled for June 2 to 29 in the US and West Indies. India and Pakistan are in the same group and will face-off in New York on June 9.
The decisive third T20I between Pakistan and Ireland will be played on May 14, after which the Babar Azam-led squad will leave for England where they will play four T20Is before flying off to the US for the T20 World Cup.