
Rizwan credits divine help for historic win
Pakistan's whiteball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, attributed the team's historic win over South Africa to divine help, saying that records are made with Allah's help.
Speaking at a press conference after the historic victory in Karachi, Rizwan explained that although Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a good start, the team had to regroup and plan carefully as wickets fell.
"Babar and Fakhar gave us a good start, but when the wickets started falling, we had to make a plan," Rizwan said.
He also mentioned that he was focused on the game and did not look at the screen until the 18th over.
"I wasn't even looking at the screen until the 18th over; we had a plan for every five overs, and it worked," he added.
Rizwan further shared his expectations for Babar Azam, saying, "Like the nation, I always expect Babar to score big runs. There is pressure on Babar too to score runs, but I am hopeful that he will soon make a big score."
Discussing the team's culture and performance, Rizwan acknowledged the lack of consistency and said, "In our culture, inconsistency is part of the game. We never know what will happen tomorrow. We play against Zimbabwe in the same way we play against Australia."
Rizwan also pointed out that the absence of Saim Ayub was a significant loss for the team, saying, "Not having Saim Ayub is a big loss for us. His absence has made a difference."
Regarding Babar Azam's position as an opener, Rizwan stated, "Babar Azam is a very composed player, which is why we decided to send him to open."
Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan's centuries guided Pakistan to a six-wicket victory over South Africa at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday, securing their place in the Tri-Nation ODI Series final.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Babar, Rizwan left out as PCB names squad for Asia Cup, tri-series
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are pictured together during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. Photo: AFP/File Former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have once again been left out of Pakistan's T20I squad, as the Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday announced a 17-member team for the Asia Cup and a tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates. The squad will be led by Salman Agha for both the tri-series involving Afghanistan and the UAE from August 29 to September 7 in Sharjah, and the Asia Cup, which will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 28. The exclusion of Babar and Rizwan, who last featured in a T20I in December 2024, has now extended across multiple series under head coach Mike Hesson. 🚨 Pakistan's 17-member squad announced for the tri-series and ACC Men's Asia Cup T20 2025 🚨 All set for the two assignments in the UAE 🗓️🏏#BackTheBoysInGreen | #AsiaCup2025 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 17, 2025 Both players were also overlooked for the T20I leg of the West Indies tour earlier this month, where Pakistan lost the series 2-1. They were part of the ODI squad but failed to make an impact, with Pakistan suffering their first series defeat against the West Indies since 1991. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Chief Selector and Director High Performance Centre Aqib Javed clarified that the door remains open for the experienced duo. 'We are not saying Babar and Rizwan will never return to the T20 squad,' he said. 'Whoever performs will be considered for selection. Discussions have taken place with both players, and they've been given guidance on areas to improve.' He added that the squad was finalised after consultation with the team management, including the captain, and stressed that recent performance was the primary selection criterion. Mark your calendars 🗓️ Schedules for the tri-nation series and ACC Men's T20I Asia Cup 2025 🏏 Pakistan squad & details ➡️ | #AsiaCup2025 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 17, 2025 The selected squad includes familiar names such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman — the latter making a return after a hamstring injury. Emerging players Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan, both of whom have shown notable improvement, have also retained their places. Head coach Mike Hesson expressed satisfaction with the team's recent trajectory. 'The team has been performing well in the T20 format, winning six of our last nine matches,' he said. 'One of the losses came on the final ball. Our focus is on winning — and doing it consistently.' Pakistan will kick off their Asia Cup Group A campaign against Oman on September 12 in Dubai, followed by a high-profile clash against India on September 14 at the same venue. Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.


Business Recorder
14 hours ago
- Business Recorder
No Babar, Rizwan in Pakistan squads for UAE T20I tri-series, Asia Cup
The Men's national selection committee has announced Pakistan squads for the upcoming T20I tri-series and Asia Cup scheduled to take place in the UAE from 29 August to 28 September, leaving out star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The tri-series, featuring Afghanistan, Pakistan and UAE will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from 29 August to 7 September. The eight-team ACC Asia Cup T20I tournament will be staged in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from 9 to 28 September. Pakistan are placed in Group 'A' alongside India, Oman and UAE. Pakistan 17-member squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim. Pakistan announce squads for West Indies ODIs, T20Is Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium): 29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time 30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time 1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time 2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time 4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time 5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time 7 September – Final – 7pm local time ACC Asia Cup T20 2025 (Pakistan fixtures, Super Fours and Final):


Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Rizwan praises WI execution
The series victory marks the first for West Indies over Pakistan in ODIs since 1991. Photo: AFP Pakistan's ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan spoke candidly following his team's loss in the third and final ODI of the series against the West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Tuesday. During the post-match presentation, Rizwan, after losing the three-match ODI series 2-1, acknowledged the challenges his team faced on a tricky pitch. "We understood this was the third game, given a Test across four innings was played on this deck. The momentum in the last 10 overs took it away as we were on top for the first 40 overs," Rizwan said. The wicketkeeper-batsman praised the opposition's efforts, reflecting on the target they set after a strong comeback in the final 10 overs that completely turned the game around. "We thought 220 was chaseable here. The credit goes to them — credit to Hope. The execution was good, but the edges went in their favour. Hope batted well and played some good shots," he added. The 33-year-old explained that Pakistan's bowlers, including Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, were delivering but faced stiff challenges. Abrar Ahmed was unable to complete his full spell due to Shai Hope's dominant batting, which disrupted Pakistan's bowling plans. "We had Ayub and Salman delivering overs, and we expected Abrar Ahmed to come in as well. However, because Hope played so well, Abrar couldn't complete his spell," Rizwan said. He further praised the consistent performance of West Indies bowler Jayden Seales and emphasised the need for better batting partnerships. "Jayden Seales bowled brilliantly throughout the series and continuously troubled our batsmen. We needed to build partnerships and spend more time at the crease, but unfortunately, that didn't happen today," he concluded. The hosts finally broke a 34-year-long jinx by securing a memorable 2-1 victory in the ODI series. This triumph marked the Caribbean side's first ODI series win over Pakistan after suffering defeat in 10 consecutive series. It is being celebrated as a landmark achievement for West Indies cricket. The last time West Indies won an ODI series against Pakistan was in November 1991 during their tour of Pakistan. In the series decider, West Indies posted a commanding total of 294 for 6 in their 50 overs. Captain Shai Hope starred with a brilliant innings of 120 runs off 94 balls, including 10 boundaries and five sixes. Justin Greaves played a crucial supporting role, scoring 43 runs off 24 deliveries, as the pair put together a 110-run partnership. Contributions from Evin Lewis (37) and Roston Chase (36) further bolstered the total. In response, Pakistan's batting lineup collapsed, being bowled out for just 92 in 29.2 overs, losing the match by 202 runs. All-rounder and captain Salman Ali Agha was the top scorer with 30 runs off 49 balls, while Mohammad Nawaz remained not out with 23 runs. Hasan Nawaz added 13 runs, but the top order struggled badly, with opener Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, captain Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, and Abrar Ahmed all dismissed without scoring.