Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan recently slammed Pakistan’s culture. He talks about the team’s well-known “unpredictable” nature on the international stage. Following a historic one-day international (ODI) match, where Pakistan successfully chased down a target of 353 against South Africa to enter the final of a tri-nation series, Rizwan shared his thoughts on why Pakistan’s performances often fluctuate so widely.
Rizwan slams Pakistan’s culture
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Rizwan attributed the team’s unpredictable playstyle to broader cultural influences in the country. “The answer to this is very long because the unpredictability factor is mainly due to our culture. It’s always been the case. Our kids don’t know what to do in life. So if you look at our cricket, whether it’s Australia, Zimbabwe or even today, there has always been this unpredictability. It’s a rarity that we win games one-sided. We are putting the efforts, but this is not our cricket’s fault alone, our culture has always been like this. Even our kids’ future is unpredictable.” He explained
Faith and strategy in play
In addition to cultural factors, Rizwan acknowledged the role of divine intervention and strategic efforts in guiding the team to victory. “When God helps, you break all kinds of records,” Rizwan stated. He detailed their game plan, mentioning how the team aimed to restrict South Africa to 320 runs. While the opponents managed 350, Rizwan highlighted the motivational role of colleague Khushdil Shah, saying, “When we were going back after the first innings, Khushdil said we had chased 350 before so those were inspiring words.” Alongside Salman Ali Agha, Rizwan set progressive goals during their innings, helping to steer the team home.
More on Cricket
- Predicted LSG playing XI for IPL 2025: Pant to open, all Indian bowling unit & Shardul’s wild card entry
- IPL 2025 Live updates: Shashank Singh’s PBKS playing XI, no Umran Malik in KKR
- Watch: Yuvraj Singh fires up in war of words with Caribbean star in IML final
Record-breaking partnership between Rizwan and Salman Ali
The match attracted attention not only for its thrilling finish but also for the outstanding performance of Rizwan and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha. Together, they stitched a remarkable 260-run partnership, setting a new record for the fourth wicket in ODIs for Pakistan. This surpassed the previous partnership record of 206 shared by Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik. Now, with the final against New Zealand coming on Friday, Pakistan aims to capitalise on their form and rectify earlier shortcomings in the tournament.
