Mohammad Rizwan: “I don’t need to play on [the] off-side although if I can play a shot on the leg side from off-stump, I can also play from off-stump to cover”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has repeatedly been told by former cricketers that he is playing on the on-side too much.
Former Pakistan cricketers like Moin Khan and interim chief selector Shahid Afridi have urged him to strengthen his game on the off-side so that he increases his scoring options and becomes a more all-rounded batsman.
However, while Rizwan acknowledged the advice that has been thrown his way, he made it clear that he knows what he needs to do and doesn’t need to play on the off-side.
“If I can hit the off-stump delivery on the leg side then I think there is no problem in that. May Allah rewards those who are talking about my command on the off-side,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
“I don’t need to play on [the] off-side although if I can play a shot on the leg side from off-stump, I can also play from off-stump to cover.”
Rizwan recently featured in Pakistan’s home series against New Zealand, which consisted of two Tests and three ODIs.
He was in the squad for the Test series, but didn’t get picked in the playing XI for both games as Sarfaraz Ahmed got the nod over him.
Sarfaraz made the most of his comeback as he scored 335 runs, which included a career-best knock of 118 and three half-centuries, at an average of 83.75.
Rizwan, however, did play in all three ODIs and made his presence felt with the bat as he accumulated 182 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 91.
The Test series ended as 0-0 draw, while Pakistan lost the ODI series 2-1.