Rizwan Acknowledges: Splitting Opening Pair with Babar Hurts Pakistan

• Splitting with Babar hurts Pakistan: Rizwan.
• Pakistan 4-0 down, testing new combos for T20 World Cup prep.
• Rizwan credits Babar, backs new opener Saim Ayub.

In a candid admission, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has expressed that the decision to break the successful opening pair of him and Babar Azam in T20 International (T20I) cricket has had a detrimental impact on Pakistan’s performance in the ongoing series against New Zealand. The Men in Green find themselves trailing 4-0 in the five-match T20I series against the Kiwis, with the final match looming.

In a press conference after the fourth T20I, Rizwan conceded, “Yes, you can say, it has hurt Pakistan.” He credited Babar Azam for showing a “big heart” and agreeing with the team management’s decision to experiment with new combinations, emphasizing that the management is focused on finding the best formula leading up to the T20 World Cup.

The formidable opening duo of Babar and Rizwan has amassed a staggering 2,830 runs in 60 innings together, making them a crucial pair for Pakistan. The decision to split them up was part of the team management’s strategy, considering the T20 World Cup scheduled for later in the year.

Saim Ayub was introduced as the opener in place of Rizwan, with Babar Azam batting at number three. Despite the change, Rizwan expressed confidence in his partner Saim Ayub, stating, “We all are waiting for one big knock but he has something different. I think at the international level, players need some time.”

The fourth T20I saw Pakistan setting a target of 159 runs for New Zealand, with Rizwan contributing an unbeaten 90 runs in 63 balls. However, New Zealand chased down the target with seven wickets in hand, thanks to a match-winning partnership of 139 runs between Mitchell and Phillips.

This series marks Pakistan’s first under the captaincy of Shaheen Afridi, who took over the T20 captaincy ahead of the T20 World Cup. Despite the challenges faced in New Zealand, the team is looking to regroup and salvage a win in the final match of the series scheduled in Christchurch on Sunday.

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