T20 World Cup 2022: How Rizwan made it big in T20I Cricket?

Mohammad Rizwan [PC: Associated Press]

"This is the last T20 match of my career"  was what Mohammad Rizwan was thinking before the night that changed his life for good. It was the 22nd of December 2020 in Napier, struggling in the format for some decent period, the wicket-keeper never saw something big coming his way. Atleast, nothing as big as being the No. 1 in the format. 

The first two games of the series didn't went the way that he would have liked, and now with just one match left, it was all down to what could be his final opportunity. It wasn't just do or die, it was do at all costs and maybe, then die. 

But this time, Rizwan wasn't holding himself back, he was determined, ready to fight like he always does on the field and yes, it did pay dividends. Those 89 runs were just the beginning of the Rizwan Era, which is turning into one of the best in the history of the format. 

The meteoric rise of the Peshawar Lad

In a world of Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith, Rizwan made a name for himself. Averaging 22.36 by the end of that T20I in New Zealand, the graphs went uphill for the opener. In the next one year, a massive turnaround took the world by storm, his average climbed to 51.22 that too when he was batting at a strike rate of 134 in 2021.

It wasn't just for his stats, his combination with Azam at the top made things ever so easy for Pakistan. The duo were providing feisty starts that were pivotal in setting up the tone for the lower order to provide a flourish at the death. 

Even though he looks a little soft when he plays but the gritty nature proves to be the difference. The attitude looks way too good when he is in the middle and still, the most humblest of guys around. That is why his career took a jump.

Then came one big moment in his career, the World Cup. It was India vs Pakistan. This one match defines your character, no matter how much you have scored before, it all begins from zero. Although, the pressure was paramount but the ideal approach was to chase it down in most simplest of manners and he was up for the task. 

His 79 runs are now what counts the most and guess what, his current average against their arch-rival is around 96, enough to be an aggressor.

The fight that never goes to vain

His critics argue about the rate at which he scores, but they never look at the fact that how much is his total contribution. He mostly steps up when his side is in a dire state, and without a doubt, it becomes irrelevant when you start looking at the scorecard. 

Not just as the batter, but his captaincy figures are turning out to be an impressive feature about him. Especially after he got his side the top prize in the previous edition of the PSL in 2021. Adding another feather to his well-equipped cap.

Even when he is suffering from pain, it is all very much his trait to stand up again and prove every time that why he is named Rizwan.

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