Islamabad, Mar 17 2025: White-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan has drawn attention by playing club cricket rather than participating in the ongoing National T20 Cup, which runs until March 27.
Following disappointing campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025, where they failed to secure a single victory and finished last in Group A with just one point, Rizwan traveled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.
Upon his return to his hometown, instead of joining the 18-team National T20 Cup, the wicketkeeper-batter opted to play club-level cricket.
His decision has sparked debate, especially as images of him playing in a local match have gone viral on social media. According to multiple posts on X, he even scored an unbeaten century.
Rizwan was among the senior players not included in Pakistan’s squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The team’s struggles continued in the series opener, where they faced a crushing nine-wicket defeat.
Batting first, Pakistan’s top order collapsed early, losing three wickets for just one run, leading to a total of only 91 runs.
In response, New Zealand comfortably chased the target, losing just one wicket and sealing victory with 59 balls to spare. This marked Pakistan’s worst-ever defeat in the format while setting a target.
Rizwan’s absence from the national setup, coupled with his participation in club cricket, has fueled discussions about team selection and the future of Pakistan’s white-ball leadership.
