In an interview released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), top-orderbatsman Mohammad Rizwan expressed his optimism despite Pakistan’s recentloss in the warm-up match against New Zealand. Rizwan acknowledged thatwarm-up matches serve as a platform for experimentation and trying out newstrategies.
He emphasized that the team managed to extract both positive results andvaluable learning outcomes from their experimentation during the warm-upmatch, suggesting there is room for improvement in their performance.
Rizwan attributed the loss to subpar fielding, emphasizing that changes andexperiments in fielding positions, which had remained consistent for thepast year and a half, contributed to their defeat. The Kiwis successfullychased down a challenging target of 346 runs, prompting Rizwan to remark onthe need for improvement in specific areas, particularly in the fieldingdepartment. He firmly believed that fielding played a pivotal role in theteam’s defeat and stressed its significance in cricket.
Despite the setback, Rizwan remained hopeful and continued to see a silverlining. He reiterated that the warm-up match had provided them withpositive results and important learning experiences. Rizwan acknowledgedthe potential for improvement that arose from their experimental approach.Additionally, he highlighted the strategic decisions regarding bowling,mentioning that several key bowlers, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, ShadabKhan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Haris Rauf, did not complete their allotted oversduring New Zealand’s impressive 346-run chase.
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In summary, Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistani top-order batsman, maintained apositive outlook following the team’s loss in the warm-up match against NewZealand. He emphasized the role of experimentation in such matches andnoted the valuable lessons learned.
Rizwan pinpointed fielding as a critical aspect that needed improvement andsuggested that changes in fielding positions contributed to the defeat.Nonetheless, he remained optimistic, citing the positive results andlearning outcomes derived from the match, as well as strategicconsiderations in the bowling department.
