Mohammad Rizwan has heaped praise on India captain Virat Kohli and called him a really nice guy. The duo met during the ICC T20 World Cup in the match between Pakistan and India, where the Men-in-Green emerged victories by 10 wickets courtesy of a 152-run opening stand between Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam.
Shaheen Shah Afridi ran through Team India’s top-order after he got rid of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in his opening spell. Then he came back to dismiss Virat Kohli, who scored a half-century. He finished with 3-31 after dismissing India’s top scorer, skipper Virat Kohli for 57 in a total of 151-7 in 20 overs.
But in the end, the target of 152 was not enough as Pak openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam scored 79*, and 68*, respectively, to win the match for their team by 10 wickets with 13 balls to spare.
Mohammad Rizwan: Undoubtedly Virat Kohli No. 1 In The World
The win against India in the 2021 T20I World Cup was Pakistan’s first win in 13 World Cup matches (seven in the 50 over World Cup and six in the Twenty20 World Cup) dating back to 1992 in Australia. The two neighbouring countries have not played bilateral cricket since January 2013 wherein Pakistan visited their neighbours wherein they played 2 T20Is and 3 ODIs. The two teams have not met in a bilateral Test series since the 2007-08 season.
“No doubt Virat Kohli is number one in the world,” Rizwan said. “When we play cricket, we are all like a family. When we took a review against Pant after he played a reverse sweep, he (Kohli) said are you trying to get all of us out in 10 overs?”
According to the 29-year-old, that was part of the tactic. Pakistan hammered India by 10 wickets in their opening 2021 T20I World Cup fixture as the opening pair of Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan chased down 152 to break the team’s almost three-decade-long jinx in World Cups.
“When we were batting, he also said a few things. I can’t repeat the things that were said, but all I can say is that he is a really nice guy.”
Moreover, he said that the conversation the duo had after the game is personal and he hasn’t told anybody despite being asked several times.
Pakistan’s T20I World Cup Journey Ended In The Semifinal While India Eliminated From The group Stage Itself
Pakistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup came to an end in the semifinal, where Australia registered a five-wicket win and went on to win the tournament. India had an off-colour T20 World Cup, getting eliminated before making it to the semi-finals, making it the first time in eight years, and events that the team failed to make it to the knockouts of an ICC event.
Following defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand, India was always under the pump and even though they did manage to beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia in their last three games, it was not enough to see them through to the final four.
The 29-year-old Mohammad Rizwan top-scored for his side despite spending two days in a hospital intensive care unit ahead of the Australia clash due to a chest infection. Mohammad Rizwan, 29, came out of the intensive care unit of a Dubai hospital to top-score with 67 in Pakistan’s 176-4, but his efforts were in vain as eventual T20I World Cup winners Australia overhauled that total to set up a title clash with New Zealand, where the Kiwis lost.
Mohammad Rizwan became the only player to score 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year. He amassed 281 runs in the T20I World Cup 2021, averaging 70.25. Mohammad Rizwan has played 23 T20Is for Pakistan in 2021, and he has smashed 1326 runs at an average of 73.67 and a strike rate of 134.89. He has also smashed 12 half-centuries and one century during this period, with his highest career-best score being unbeaten 104.
You might be interested in
