'I don’t know what’s happening between Pakistan and India,' says Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan has said that politics should not be a part of cricket. 

Speaking to media in Lahore, he stated, "There should be no politics in cricket. I don’t know what’s happening between Pakistan and India—I don’t use social media."

Reflecting on his interactions with international players, Rizwan emphasized the spirit of unity in the cricketing world. 

"When we meet players like Virat Kohli and Joe Root, we interact like a cricketing family. We learn from them, and they learn from us too," he said.

Discussing Multan Sultans' exit from the tournament, Rizwan acknowledged his team’s shortcomings. 

"Team selection is based on conditions. All teams picked spinners, and we were rightfully eliminated—we made mistakes. We couldn't maintain momentum in the fielding department," he admitted.

On the pressure of leadership, Rizwan said, "If I say I don't feel pressure, that would be a lie. There is pressure as the captain of Pakistan, and also as Multan's captain. People are watching. We need to accept this pressure and work on our mistakes."

Addressing the evolving nature of T20 cricket, he pointed to the importance of adapting to local playing conditions. 

"People say we need to play modern-day cricket, but what can we do about the conditions? Sometimes in T20s here, we have to play like it's Test cricket. Look at the T20 World Cup—scoring even 120 was tough," he explained.

Rizwan urged players and fans to focus inward rather than comparing with others. 

"We shouldn’t focus on what others are doing. We must look at what the conditions demand," he said.

He also praised other PSL teams and their performances: "Lahore Qalandars have a different kind of passion. Quetta has momentum, and both Karachi and Islamabad have built very good squads."

In response to a question about Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi, Rizwan offered words of support: "Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi needs prayers—I’ll pray for them. If we had taken our catches, we wouldn't be in this situation today."