Web Desk: Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged his own struggles with the bat after his side Rawalpindis slumped to a seventh consecutive defeat, crashing out of the Pakistan Super League playoffs race.
Speaking after a 32-run loss to Lahore Qalandars, Rizwan said his underperformance directly affected the team’s results.
“Clearly, there must have been shortcomings from my side, which led to these results,” Rizwan told reporters. “When you keep losing, it becomes difficult to find positives.”
However, he added that team decisions, including his opening role alongside a younger player, were made collectively. “I may have personal preferences regarding my position, but team decisions are always mutual,” he said.
Despite the losing streak, Rizwan noted that the squad did not show any glaring weaknesses on paper, suggesting luck had not favored them during the campaign.
“At times, you don’t see obvious flaws in the team, but things still don’t go your way,” he said.
Moreover, Rizwan stressed that leadership should not be judged solely on outcomes. “As a captain, you can only make efforts. If mistakes happen, then the result is out of your control,” he added.
Reflecting on his personal form, the Pakistan international reiterated that performance remains key to maintaining his place at the top level. “If I don’t perform, I don’t deserve a place in the national side,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I will give up. Cricket is my passion, and I will work hard to come back stronger.”
Rizwan described the current phase as one of the toughest in his career, accepting responsibility for the team’s exit. “I admit this is my failure. Now, the only thing in my hands is to work harder,” he said.
With the defeat, Rawalpindis finished their campaign without a single win, while Lahore Qalandars secured their place in the tournament’s later stages.
Read more: Former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran shifted to ICU in critical condition
