In the fourth T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand secured a convincing seven-wicket victory over Pakistan, claiming their fourth consecutive win in the ongoing five-match series and establishing a dominant 4-0 lead.
Pakistan faced an early setback when Saim Ayub, who opened the batting, departed for just 1 run in the second over of the inning.
Despite this, Pakistan managed to post a total of 158 for five in their allotted 20 overs, largely attributed to the exceptional unbeaten performance by wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who scored an impressive 90 runs.
Rizwan’s innings, spanning 63 balls, included six fours and two sixes. Notably, he formed a crucial 51-run partnership with captain Babar Azam (19, 11b, 2x4s, 1×6) and contributed to a 40-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed (10, 14b).
In the post-match press conference, Rizwan expressed his concerns about the disruption caused by altering the successful opening partnership with Babar Azam in T20Is. He highlighted the challenges that come with experimenting with different combinations, especially when established partnerships are affected.
While acknowledging the management’s exploration of various combinations, Rizwan emphasized the importance of finding the most effective strategy for the team’s success.
