Easier to bat with higher strike-rate than to play anchor role in T20s: Rizwan

Multan Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan prioritizes team demands over personal criticism.

 In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Rizwan shared that while playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), his coach instructed him not to give away his wicket in the first two overs in Dhaka, even if he only scores a few runs.

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"It is more important for me what my captain and coach demand from me. In BPL, my coach instructed me not to give away my wicket in the first two overs in Dhaka, even if you score only two or three runs," said Rizwan. 

"My team’s captain, Imrul Kayes, also asked me to anchor the innings. It is not an easy role because people criticize you for playing an anchor role in T20s," he maintained.

The role of anchoring the innings is not easy, as players are often criticized for playing a slow-paced game in T20 cricket. However, Rizwan emphasized that his team's requirements are more important than what the critics say.

"People who play with a higher strike rate score in only two or three out of 10 innings. So it is easier for us to play in a similar way. But for me, team requirement is more important than what critics say," he said.

He also spoke about the same issue in the Pakistan cricket team but stated that if the batting track is good, the team has the potential to score 200 runs.

"We have the same issue in the Pakistan team. But if we get a good batting track, we also score 200. We have to play according to pitch and conditions," said Rizwan.
 
"I have had four 150-plus partnerships with Babar so we can accelerate as well. However, we assess the pitch and bat accordingly," he added.

The cricket team strengthens bonds with strong communication and trust during matches and training.

"We have great communication and trust each other blindly while running between the wickets or seeking advice regarding a bowler’s line and length," Rizwan said about Babar Azam.

The upcoming Pakistan Super League season is set to be a promising one. The successful combination is expected to continue into the new season.

"I also have a great partnership with Shan Masood. We once chased a 200-run target and had a 100-plus partnership together in that match against Lahore Qalandars. So we have a good combination, and we hope to continue that in the upcoming season as well, like the previous two seasons," said Rizwan.

The cricketer is also looking forward to playing in front of the passionate Multan crowd, donning the Sultans' jersey. Rizwan is hoping for a similar experience this time around and is eager to showcase their skills in front of the enthusiastic fans.

"It will be great feeling to play in front of Multan crowd wearing the Sultans’ jersey, because I haven’t played a PSL match there yet. I was on the bench when Karachi Kings played a match there. But it was still really fun to experience the match there, so I am hoping for similar experience this time around," he concluded.