Saqlain Mushtaq on Mohammad Rizwan: “I will play even if I lose my life. It will be an honor for me to play”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan interim head coach Saqlain Mushtaq revealed how wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan was willing to lose his life in order to feature in the T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia.
Rizwan was hailed for his heroism as he played in the match despite having spent two nights in the ICU with a severe chest infection.
He smashed 67 runs off 52 balls, which included three boundaries and four sixes, but his effort went in vain as Australia went on to win by five wickets.
Nonetheless, Rizwan was applauded for his bravery and the fight he showed.
“I will play even if I lose my life. It will be an honor for me to play,” Mushtaq was quoted as saying by A-Sports when recalling what Rizwan had said.
Rizwan was in magnificent form throughout the T20 World Cup as he scored 281 runs in six matches, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 70.25 and a strike-rate of 127.72.
In the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, he accumulated 90 runs at an average of 30 and a strike-rate of 90.90.
Pakistan are currently playing a two-Test series against Bangladesh.
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Test series:Â Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Bilal Asif, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Zahid Mahmood