Captain Mohammad Rizwan Reflects on Pakistan’s Defeat Against New Zealand and Emphasizes Need for Improvement

Karachi:Pakistan’s cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan addressed the media following his team’s defeat against New Zealand, sharing insights on the match and the team’s future aspirations. Rizwan explained the decision to bat first, stating that the team believed the wicket would become more challenging in the second innings.

“We decided to bat first because we anticipated the pitch would get more difficult later on,” Rizwan said. “However, New Zealand’s bowlers maintained consistent pressure, which didn’t allow us to reach our target.”

Pakistan had set a target of 280 runs, but Rizwan acknowledged that their efforts fell short as they could only manage 242 runs. “New Zealand’s bowling was outstanding. Agha Salman and I tried to build a partnership, but the opposition didn’t allow us to play freely. My dismissal was a key moment in the game,” he reflected.

On Pakistan’s fielding performance, Rizwan admitted that it remains an area of concern. “We need to improve our fielding, it’s an area where we are still lacking. We need to focus on making it a strength,” he said.

However, Rizwan did commend the performance of spinner Abrar Ahmed, praising his improvement and stating, “Abrar has shown significant improvement, but we need to elevate the performances of other players to the same level.”

Looking ahead, Rizwan emphasized the team’s focus on the Champions Trophy, noting that the decision to bat first was also made to strengthen the team’s preparations for future tournaments. “We are preparing for the future,” he said.