PAK vs AUS: Mohammad Rizwan opens up after defeat in first T20I against Australia

Pakistan's white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, shared his thoughts on his team’s 29-run defeat to Australia in a rain-affected first T20I at the Gabba. The shortened match, which saw Australia clinch the win, posed several challenges for the visitors.

Reflecting on the game, Rizwan expressed the difficulty of adapting to the quick-paced conditions brought by the weather. "Can't say anything in this kind of match. Things were moving quite fast. We tried our best with the bat, but it wasn’t enough," Rizwan said during the post-match presentation. "If you look at the whole match, credit to Glenn Maxwell. Not just for this game, but for the last couple of years as well. We’ll try our best at the SCG."

Rizwan praised his bowlers for their resilience, especially considering the challenges posed by Australia’s powerful lineup. "I’m very confident with my bowlers. You can’t say anything or predict anything in such a (short) match. If you look at their (fast bowler's) effort, I’m 100% happy. This kind of situation suits Maxwell. The whole match today suited Maxwell, so we must give him credit."

The captain also defended his team’s batting approach, emphasizing that they aimed for an aggressive pursuit despite falling short. "We can’t say that the batters don’t support the bowlers. What the team’s requirement was today, they went for it," Rizwan stated. "Everyone could see that the team today had one aim, regardless of the result - as a batting group, we aimed for something and kept going (for the target). We didn’t find success, that’s another matter."

The match was reduced to just seven overs per side due to persistent rain delays, with Australia posting a commanding 93/4 in their allotted overs.

Australia's explosive start, led by openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short, set the tone. The pair managed 16 runs off the first over before Fraser-McGurk was dismissed for 9 by Naseem Shah. Glenn Maxwell continued the onslaught, smashing 43 runs off just 19 balls, including five boundaries and three sixes. Despite the loss of Short and Tim David, Maxwell’s performance played a pivotal role in Australia’s surge.

Marcus Stoinis added a final flourish with a rapid 21 off seven balls, helping Australia reach a challenging total of 93/4. Pakistan’s bowlers, including Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Shah Afridi, took three wickets but struggled to contain the runs, particularly in the final overs.

Pakistan’s response to the chase was dismal from the start. After a quick 12-run opening over, the Men in Green found themselves in serious trouble. Xavier Bartlett’s fiery spell of 3/13 left Pakistan reeling, as key players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan fell cheaply. By the third over, Pakistan was struggling at 20/5, with the pressure mounting from Bartlett’s performance and Nathan Ellis’s figures of 3/9.

The only resistance came from Mohammad Abbas Afridi, who remained unbeaten on 20*, but Pakistan’s collapse saw them finish at 64/9, falling short of the revised target of 94.

Australia’s dominant performance handed them a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.