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Throwback To Babar-Rizwan's Partnership That Now Shames Pakistan's Opening Woes

Soumyajit Dutta

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's opening pair [Source: @moazkhanniazi/X.com]Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's opening pair [Source: @moazkhanniazi/X.com]

Struggling, crippling and wondering how to overcome the next challenge. That is what Pakistan's T20I cricket team is currently doing in the Men's Asia Cup 2025. They are searching for an answer that they might never find. However, Babar Azam, along with Mohammad Rizwan were once the men who solved the opening batting woes for Pakistan, and that too, in style. 

The Mighty Partnership Of Babar Azam And Rizwan

In the heat of the Karachi night on September 22, 2022, under the weight of a 200-run target, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan did more than just win a cricket match. They crafted a blueprint. A blueprint that today, as Pakistan’s top order crumbles in the 2025 Asia Cup, feels like a hauntingly distant memory.

That night wasn’t just about Babar’s magnificent, career-defining 110* from 66 balls. It was about the partnership. The most successful opening pair in Pakistan’s T20 history was at its devastating best. While Babar’s innings was a sublime mix of grace and brute power, it was built upon the foundation of Rizwan’s equally fierce 88* off 51.

Together, they were untouchable. Rizwan, the agitator, set the tone by tearing into England’s pace attack from the first over. Babar, the emperor, initially played the serene accompanist before unleashing a fury that left the opposition speechless. 

The Duo That Ripped Through England!

Babar Azam's strike rate was 166.66, and Mohammad Rizan batted at 172.54. 11 boundaries from Babar and the ones to bear the brunt were David Willey with an economy of 12.57 in the match and Like Wood, who gave away 49 runs off his 4 overs. A complete horror show for England's bowling attack, and the scriptwriters were the dominating Men in Green duo.

The duo dismantled the chase with three balls to spare and without a hint of a wicket lost. It was a statement to England and the world that this was indeed the 'gold' standard.

Now, that very standard makes their current struggles so glaring. As Pakistan’s new opening combination stumbles, looking back at Babar and Rizwan's class seems like history now.