Mohammad Rizwan Criticized for "Mind-Boggling" Decision in Tri-Series Final
The Tri-Series Final between Pakistan and New Zealand turned out to be a disappointing affair for Pakistan, and all eyes are now on captain Mohammad Rizwan for a decision that left many baffled. Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shahzad didn't hold back in his criticism, calling Rizwan's call to bat first a "mind-boggling" mistake.
Pakistan, after electing to bat on what seemed to be a tricky surface, were bowled out for just 242 runs. Given the nature of the pitch and the previous matches at the same venue, the decision raised serious concerns. Just a few days before this match, Pakistan had successfully chased a mammoth target of 353 against South Africa at the same stadium. That victory showed how batting conditions tend to improve under lights. Yet, despite this, Rizwan chose to bat first in the final, a move that backfired completely.
New Zealand capitalized on the decision and comfortably chased the target in just 45.2 overs, clinching the Tri-Series title with a five-wicket victory. Shahzad, speaking on his YouTube channel, criticized the Pakistan captain for not learning from past experiences. "It was a mind-boggling decision because we all saw how the pitch gets better for batting in the second innings. The ball doesn’t grip as much, and spinners struggle. Yet, Pakistan decided to bat first," he remarked.
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The loss has put Pakistan under heavy scrutiny ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Shahzad pointed out that the team seems to perform well only when the opposition is understrength or missing key players. "Pakistan’s bubble has burst. We only manage to win when the other team isn’t at full strength. Against a well-prepared New Zealand side, we were completely exposed," he added.
Another questionable decision was the exclusion of pacer Mohammad Hasnain in favor of all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. Interestingly, Ashraf ended up bowling just two overs, further adding to the confusion around Pakistan’s team selection. Shahzad suggested that Rizwan was playing it safe with the batting depth at the cost of weakening the bowling attack.
After the match, Rizwan defended his decision at the post-match presentation. He explained that the team expected the pitch to be more challenging in the second innings. "We thought the pitch would get tougher under lights, but their bowlers put pressure on us. We were looking at 280, but they restricted us. We were 15 runs short. My wicket was crucial, and we need to improve our fielding," Rizwan stated.
While Rizwan tried to justify his decision, the loss has raised serious concerns about Pakistan’s tactical approach leading into the Champions Trophy. The team’s selection choices, decision-making under pressure, and overall performance are now being questioned, and with the Champions Trophy on the horizon, they have a lot of work to do. If they want to compete against the top teams, these costly mistakes must be avoided.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: Rizwan and his team will have to make smarter decisions in the future, or they risk facing similar criticism on even bigger stages.
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