Christchurch — Friday in Christchurch, Mohammad Rizwan demonstrated why he will be a major weapon for Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Cup by scoring the most runs in a 21-run victory over Bangladesh.
Rizwan’s undefeated 78 helped Pakistan reach a total of 167-5, while their opponents were limited to 146-8.
It was the opening match of a week-long event, which also featured New Zealand as the host nation. It is being utilized by all three teams in preparation for the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Rizwan, the top-ranked T20 batsman in the world, batted through the 50-ball innings in freezing circumstances at Hagley Oval, scoring seven fours and two sixes.
It was the 30-year-21st old’s half-century in the format, continuing his form from last month’s Twenty20 series against England, in which he scored the most runs (316) in the competition.
His 54.34 average in this format is the highest among the top 150 run scorers. The runner-up is India’s Virat Kohli (50.84).
Shan Masood (31 off 22 balls) provided the strongest support for Rizwan on a tricky, two-paced pitch, following an opening stand of 52 with skipper Babar Azam (22 off 25 balls). Taskin Ahmed (2-25) was Bangladesh’s best bowler.
Being patient after being sent in, according to Rizwan, lay the groundwork for a winning score.
Early on, the ball was quite tacky, but the captain and I opted to keep things easy.
“We performed admirably, but I believe we were 10 to 15 runs short on this type of field.”
After that, the bowlers executed the strategy really well.
After Liton Das (35) and Afif Hossain (25) put on 50 in 34 balls for the third wicket, Bangladesh’s chase faltered.
Yasir Ali (42 not out) regained respectability with his late hitting, while speedster Mohammad Wasim (3-24) enjoyed late success with the yorker.
Unexpected weather conditions earlier in the week had hardened the surface, causing frequent slippage for both teams.
The grounds crew had to remove snow from the covers and outfield on Thursday morning due to a cold front.
Temperatures hovered at 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the match, which marked the earliest New Zealand home season ever played.
New Zealand will play Pakistan and Bangladesh at the same site on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.