Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan stated that he didn’t feel anything different before the match against India in the T20 World Cup last year but the reception that they received after the win, made him realize how bigger a win it was.
Mohammad Rizwan played a huge part in the match against India as he scored 79 runs off 55 balls as they beat the arch-rivals by 10 wickets. Earlier Pakistan restricted India to 151 in their 20 overs with the help of an exceptional spell by Shaheen Shah Afridi. It was Pakistan’s first-ever win against India in the World event.
Mohammad Rizwan scored 79*(55) in the World Cup game against India
Talking about the match with a youtube Channel ‘Cricket Pakistan’, Mohammad Rizwan spoke at length about the buildup before the match and also how he kept himself calm ahead of the big clash.
“Honestly, it felt like a normal match, like any other game. We felt the hype of the World Cup after getting there (in UAE). Before the match, I had an interview with Indian media and they asked if I was nervous. I told them that I don’t feel any different as of now but if and when I do, I will let you know (chuckles).” Mohammad Rizwan said.
Pakistan won their all-group stage games but finally, their campaign was ended in the semifinal as they lost against eventual champions Australia. Though Pakistan travelled to Bangladesh straight after the World Cup to play 3 T20Is and 2 Tests. So the first interaction that Pakistan players received from the fans, was after the Bangladesh tour. Rizwan said that the reception made him realize that there is so much at stake when they play against India than any other team.
“But the response and love we received from the fans and the country cannot be explained in words. When we got home from the Bangladesh tour after the World Cup, the reception made me realize that playing against India is not ordinary because there’s much more at stake than playing against any other opposition,” he added.
Rizwan broke many records in the year 2021 as he became the first-ever batter to score 2000 T20 runs in a calendar year.