Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is going through one of the most challenging phases of his T20 career, as his dismal run in the Pakistan Super League 2026 has garnered intense criticism. His sudden dip in form has become one of the talking points of the ongoing tournament. So far, he has managed only 107 runs in seven matches, showing a sharp decline in form.
Notably, the criticism has not been limited to his batting alone. As captain of the newly rebranded Rawalpindiz, Rizwan has been unable to get success, with the team enduring a string of defeats. They have suffered seven consecutive defeats and become the first team to be knocked out of playoff contention. Their latest defeat was against Lahore Qalandars, where Rizwan scored only 9 runs. Meanwhile, Rizwan admitting his failure, saying that he himself had even questioned his place in the national team.
"When I was playing in the Big Bash, the team was selected. I went there and said that I don't deserve a place in the Pakistan team with my current performance," Rizwan said at the press conference after Rawalpindiz's defeat to Qalandars.
“But I am the same person who was sitting here in front of you, and you told me that I cannot hit a sixer, if you remember. I am being honest. Haris (Rauf) is sitting in the back. He is a witness. We talked about this. We were eating there, and I told Haris that I don’t deserve a place in the Pakistan team with this kind of performance. He said something to me that I cannot say in front of you. He knows. He is sitting there,” said Rizwan.
Rizwan asserted that he has not been up to the standards, but that doesn't mean he will lose hope.
"But I tell you that we are human beings. I said in the beginning that I made a mistake. My performance is not good. But this does not mean that I will lose hope and sit. Or I will leave cricket. If I have strength, I will do it," he said.
"For me, cricket is a passion, whether it is T20, Test, or ODI. I love cricket. I play it because I don't know anything else in my life. I don’t have a business. I don’t play any other sport. I only play cricket. Yes, I am losing now. My performance is not good. But by the will of God, my hard work is never less. I have worked hard. By God’s will, I will stand in front of you again after my hard work," Rizwan added.