![Mohammad Rizwan for Pakistan [Source: AFP Media]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1756791612713_mohammad_rizwan.jpg?type=hq)
Mohammad Rizwan for Pakistan [Source: AFP Media]
When it comes to Pakistan and modern cricket, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are two of the biggest names. In what was a revolutionary step, Pakistan excluded the two star batters from their squad that would be boarding the flight for the Asia Cup 2025.
There were numerous discussions regarding the absence of the two players from the team. After the squad was announced, Rizwan scored a half-century in the CPL, firing up the discussions even more about his absence from the squad. However, in the latest match, Rizwan failed to deliver when his team needed a cameo from him. Let us take a look at the performance of Rizwan in the CPL and analyse how justified Pakistan were in not including them in the squad.
Mohammad Rizwan's CPL 2025 Performance
The Pakistani wicketkeeper batter has played in four innings in the ongoing edition of the CPL. In these outings, he has scored 103 runs at an average of 51.50. While this looks impressive, a strike rate of 128.75 is well below the modern standards. These statistics provide insight into why Rizwan is struggling as a T20 batter. However, if we delve deeper into a couple of innings, we will get a clearer picture.
Ineffective Half-Century vs St Lucia Kings
In the 15th match of the ongoing edition of the CPL, Rizwan walked out to bat when his team was stationed at 47 for 1 in the sixth over of the innings. He started brilliantly, scoring four and six within the first three deliveries, and it looked like he would take the team's total to a formidable one. However, after this, he slowed down, and that took away the momentum from the innings.
When the innings ended, Rizwan walked out with a score of 60 runs from 41 deliveries. A strike rate of 146.34, impressive - right? With the context added, we gain a clearer picture of the ineffectiveness of this innings.
On a track that saw regular scores near or over 200, the Patriots ended up with 177. This was chased down by the Kings, losing only three wickets in 17 overs.
After getting settled in the middle, when the Patriots expected him to accelerate, Rizwan instead slowed down. He concentrated more on preserving his wicket, rather than playing bold cricket. This in turn resulted in the team landing 30-35 runs short of a par total.
Inefficient In Finishing Off
In the latest clash between the Trinbago Knight Riders and the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Rizwan's team was looking to chase down 180 runs in 20 overs. The management kept pushing the Pakistani batter down the order, and when he walked out, the team needed 42 runs off 18 deliveries to win the game.
The stage was perfectly set for Rizwan to play aggressive cricket and prove his finishing abilities. However, instead of going for the big shots, he chose the path of playing cute sweeps and reverse sweeps, which resulted in his team falling further behind in the chase.
When the demand was to play at a strike rate of 250, Rizwan scored at a rate of 142.86. The result? the Patriots lost by 12 runs.
Conclusion
These innings demonstrate the batter's inability to adapt to the game's situation and deliver what is needed in crucial moments. The fact that he has a set methodology and fails to adapt it to the demands of the hour is gradually making him outdated for cricket's most evolving format.
