After his match-winning performance in the second T20 against Ireland, Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan shared a candid observation about Virat Kohli.
Once again, Rizwan stepped up big time for the Men in Green, playing a stellar innings of 75* runs from just 46 balls, including six boundaries and four sixes, leading Pakistan to a crucial seven-wicket victory over Ireland in the second T20I.
Thanks to Rizwan’s heroics and a brilliant partnership with Fakhar Zaman (who scored 78 runs off 40 balls), Pakistan managed to level the ongoing three-match T20I series against Ireland. Their impressive 140-run stand for the third wicket turned the game around and put Pakistan back in contention.
With this performance, Rizwan not only helped his team but also made history by surpassing Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, and Shahid Afridi, becoming the first Pakistani to receive the highest number of Player of the Match awards, with a tally of 12.
During the post-match presentation, while receiving his well-deserved MOTM award, Mohammad Rizwan took a moment to acknowledge Virat Kohli. His words of appreciation for Kohli come just a month before Pakistan’s highly anticipated clash against India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group stage match in New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
Mohammad Rizwan said at the post-match presentation: “Virat Kohli is a good player and we learned a lot from him. I respect him. I don’t look at my numbers. If you look at the average and only focus on averages, you are an average player. If you look at the match situation and the conditions, then it’s better. You must play according to the demand of the situation in the match.”
Both Virat Kohli and Mohammad Rizwan boast impressive records in T20Is. Kohli has racked up 4037 runs in 109 innings, maintaining an impressive average of 51.75. Meanwhile, Rizwan isn’t far behind, with 3124 runs in 82 innings and an average of 50.38. With the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash looming at the T20 World Cup in June, cricket enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating a showdown between these two stellar batsmen.
However, some fans on social media have taken a light-hearted approach to this comparison, sharing a mix of reactions and emotions.
Here are some of the reactions from fans:
