Mohammad Rizwan was in ICU for a couple of days due to a chest infection but he recovered and continued his consistency for Pakistan.
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For a long time in Pakistan cricket, wicketkeepers have been an anomaly. There have been several keepers who have been solid behind the stumps but struggled with the bat. Wasim Bari and Moin Khan were some of the keepers who redefined keeping in the country but they often struggled with the bat. During the horror years of Kamran Akmal, bowlers would only aim for the stumps or on the pads. Kamran was so bad with the gloves that memes on his dropped catches would go viral. He was a good bat but his keeping horrors overshadowed everything.
Now, in the current Pakistan team, there is one keeper who is solid with both bat and gloves. Behind the stumps, his keeping is solid. With the bat, he has redefined consistency. Mohammad Rizwan is one of the rarest breeds of Pakistan cricketers who is consistent with both the bat and gloves. In the semi-final against Australia, he became the first player to hit 1000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals in a calendar year. 10 half-centuries in 2021 in addition to one century was a hallmark of his consistency. But, in the 2021 World T20, he had already hit three fifties.
However, it was the situation in the backdrop that has ensured Mohammad Rizwan holds a special place in the hearts of Pakistan and cricket fans.
After the heartbreaking semi-final loss to Australia in the semifinal of the ICC World T20, a picture emerged of Mohammad Rizwan. The Pakistan keeper was in the hospital and in ICU for a chest infection. The image of Rizwan in that situation was heartbreaking. But, he recovered just in time and played the semifinal for the team. Pakistan needed him in the clash against Australia.
Can you imagine this guy played for his country today & gave his best.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 11, 2021
He was in the hospital last two days.
Massive respect @iMRizwanPak .
Hero. pic.twitter.com/kdpYukcm5I
For Pakistan, the 2021 ICC World T20 was a story of rage and redemption. Prior to the tournament, New Zealand and England had pulled out of the bilateral series to be played in the country. Pakistan decided to make a big statement. They absolutely thrashed India by 10 wickets for their first-ever win in the World T20 against India. It was Rizwan and his opening partnership with Babar Azam that formed the base of Pakistan’s domination in the Super 12.
Pakistan was the only team to reach the semi-final unbeaten. It was the brilliance of Rizwan, along with Babar and Shaheen Afridi that fueled Pakistan’s charge. But, it was prior to the semi-final that Rizwan’s ability came to the fore. A photo was shared with Rizwan in the ICU. Pakistan head coach Matthew Hayden had confirmed that Rizwan was suffering a chest infection. But, he recovered. Normally, getting fit for a big match after such an injury of such a nature would take a lot of time. But, knowing that the contest was against Australia, Rizwan knew that Pakistan needed him.
In the 2021 semi-final, it was yet another left-hander that broke the hearts of Pakistan fans. During the 2010 clash at St Lucia, it was Michael Hussey who stole the show with an unbelievable 60 off 24 balls. Australia needed two runs per ball in that epic run-chase against Pakistan 11 years ago. But, Hussey demonstrated superhuman powers of sustained hitting.
In this encounter in the Ring of Fire, Australia did not have the perfect game. They dropped catches and allowed the likes of Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman to wreak havoc. In the run-chase, they witnessed a sensational opening over from Shaheen. The left-arm pacer has shown that in the age of brute hitting, he is a bowler who is not intimidated by the batsmen.
In the middle overs, Shadab Khan ran through the middle order. His four wickets dented Australia in a big way. The force was with Pakistan. David Warner, who was reaching his fifty, did not review an edge which he did not hit. Everything that could go wrong with Australia went wrong. But, Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis turned the screws.
Pakistan’s old malaise of dropping catches came back to haunt them at the wrong time. Hasan Ali dropped Wade and the left-hander did a three-fourths Carlos Brathwaite, hitting three sixes to win the match. It was a cruel end to Shaheen’s World T20, but it once again showed Australianism at its best. But, Rizwan has shown that he is the ultimate team player for Pakistan. For all the struggles that he had to endure at the start of his career, he is now the must-have in the side.
