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Mohammad Rizwan Prays As His Fiery Fifty Helps Him Break McCullum's Elite Record

Debashis Sarangi

Rizwan's 50 helped him go past McCullum [Source: @gavaskar_theman/X]Rizwan's 50 helped him go past McCullum [Source: @gavaskar_theman/X]

Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan had a memorable outing in the second One-Day International of the ongoing three-match series against South Africa in Cape Town. Coming at number four, Rizwan smashed a magnificent fifty, bailing his team out of trouble. 

After South African captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl first, Pakistan had the worst possible start, losing Abdullah Shafique for a duck. Saim Ayub, who scored a glorious century in the last game, also got out cheaply, being dismissed by Kwena Maphaka. However, Rizwan played a pivotal role in Pakistan's remarkable comeback, stitching a valuable stand with former captain Babar Azam. 

The gritty batter showcased exemplary form, hitting a gorgeous fifty to stun the Proteas in their backyard. In this process, Rizwan broke New Zealand great Brendon McCullum's elite record for the most fifty-plus scores as a designated wicketkeeper across formats. 

Notably, both McCullum and Rizwan had 53 fifty-plus scores as designated wicketkeepers across formats. Thus, with today's knock, Rizwan went past the Kiwi great, eclipsing him with his 54th score of fifty or more. 

Babar, Rizwan Join Hands As Pakistan Eye Huge Total

Riding on Babar and Rizwan's magnificent partnership, Pakistan have ensured a remarkable comeback in the second ODI vs South Africa. At the time of writing, the visitors were 168 for two, with Babar and Rizwan batting on 60* and 73*, respectively.