Andy Flower: “a really good example of stars keeping their feet firmly on the ground is our captain, Mohammad Rizwan. You know, he’s a really strong leader. He’s a strong man. He’s got very strong and principled views”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Andy Flower, head coach of the Multan Sultans, said Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan doesn’t have an ego problem.
Instead, he noted that the 31-year-old is incredibly humble and disciplined, which makes him a “really strong leader”.
Flower worked closely with Rizwan during the 2023 Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the Peshawar-born cricketer captained the Sultans in the tournament.
“I think egos amongst sports stars – that is not particular to Pakistan. You get that wherever you go. I think some countries, like New Zealand, are very good at keeping that sort of fame and exposure in perspective. Here, in Pakistan, some of their stars are rightly lauded,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
“But a really good example of stars keeping their feet firmly on the ground is our captain, Mohammad Rizwan. You know, he’s a really strong leader. He’s a strong man. He’s got very strong and principled views.”
In PSL 8, Rizwan was the highest run-scorer with 550 runs in 12 matches, which included a century and four fifties, at an average of 55 and a strike-rate of 142.85.
He then featured in Pakistan’s white-ball series against New Zealand, which began with him scoring 162 runs in five T20Is, which included two fifties, at an average of 54 and a strike-rate of 139.65.
Rizwan then made 161 runs in the five-match ODI series that followed, which included a top score of 54 not out, at an average of 53.66.