"Always proud when you perform like that": Mohammad Rizwan on his match-winning 131-run knock against Sri Lanka
Oct 10, 2023
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 10 : After playing a match-winning knock in the match against Sri Lanka, Mohammad Rizwan said that he is proud to have played an innings of 131 runs and said every player in the dressing room had the belief that they can chase successfully.
"Always proud when you perform like that. It was difficult and when you chase like that, it's always special. Every player in the dressing room had the belief we could chase that. Basically, it's a good track and we decided to calculate the innings," Mohammad Rizwan said in a post-match presentation.
In the 37th over's third ball, Rizwan came down the track and thumped it over long-off for a maximum. Soon he fell to the ground in pain but the batter made a fine comeback and played a stunning match-wining knock.
When asked about the cramps he suffered during his innings in the Rizwan cheekily responded to that and said, "Sometimes cramps and sometimes I was okay (laughs)."
Pakistan captain Babar Azam heaped praise on the star wicketkeeper-batter and said, "I think Rizwan, the way he played... He built the partnership and put pressure on the Sri Lanka team. We finished well with our fast bowlers. First World Cup for Shafique and he is in good nick I decided to play him. I think the way Rizwan and he played helped us with the partnership. Good for us, the middle order has stepped up and just believe in ourselves."
Hundreds from Abdullah Shafique and Mohammed Rizwan helped Pakistan pull off the highest run chase in World Cup history after they defeated Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in their WC clash here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Rizwan played an outstanding unbeaten knock of 131 runs off 121 while Abdullah Shafique slammed 113 and a fiery cameo from Iftikhar Ahmed helped Pakistan chase 344 with 10 balls to spare. For the first time in men's World Cup history, four centuries were hit in the same match, with Pakistan coming out on top in a run-fest thriller.
Earlier, Kusal Mendis (122) and Sadeera Samarawickrama's (108) played record-shattering knocks that posed various kinds of trouble to the Pakistan bowlers.
