"Did not say that it hurt Pakistan because we were split as an opening pair" - Mohammad Rizwan clarifies his comments over opening with Babar Azam
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has clarified his earlier comments about management breaking his opening partnership with Babar Azam. The right-handed batter stated that he did not express his disappointment at being separated as an opening pair, but the sentiment was more about losing the series.
With the management opening with Rizwan and Saim Ayub during the New Zealand T20I tour without producing good results, the former expressed his unhappiness following the series defeat. The Peshawar-born cricketer suggested that the management tried to fix something that wasn't broken.
Speaking to Cricket Pakistan, the opener revealed that he had misunderstood the question back then and stated:
"I was asked that if splitting my opening pair with Babar hurt Pakistan. Maybe I didn’t understand the question at that time, but I said it hurt Pakistan in the context that Pakistan had lost four matches. I did not say that it hurt Pakistan because we were split as an opening pair. We understand what is best for Pakistan and who determines the best? The coach can see, the captain can see."
Rizwan added that they are on board with the rotation policy, as Shaheen Shah Afridi carried out in New Zealand. He continued:
"If we talk about the New Zealand tour, even then Shaheen adopted a rotation policy, so that the best can be extracted from each player. We don't say that we made a mistake by going back and forth, but we can say that you should look at things logically, do things logically that are best for Pakistan."
Babar and Rizwan have been one of the most prolific opening pairs in T20Is for Pakistan. The duo have shared five 150+ partnerships, with the highest being 203*.
"If I am needed for bowling, I am ready for that too" - Mohammad Rizwan
Rizwan further commented that he is ready to perform any role for Pakistan, elaborating:
"I even said that if I am needed for bowling, I am ready for that too, I can even leave my wicket-keeping. If you look at my career so far, in 26 matches, I have gone to bat at numbers 7, 8, and 9. No batsman has gone in at number 9, I have. I cannot say that I will not do this. I was ready before, and I am still ready now."
Pakistan will be in action in April when they face New Zealand in five T20Is at home.