NZ vs Pak: Mohammad Rizwan hails 'mad' Wagner for bowling with broken toe
Dec 31, 2020
Tauranga [New Zealand], December 31 : Pakistan stand-in skipper Mohammad Rizwan praised "aggressive" New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner after he bowled with an injured toe in the first Test.
Wagner, who bowled with a fractured toe, played a key role in New Zealand's thrilling 101-run win against Pakistan in the first Test on Wednesday. Wagner had also ended Fawad Alam's stint at the crease after the batsman hit his second hundred in the longest format of the game.
Rizwan said he termed Wagner "mad" in front of skipper Kane Williamson adding that the Kiwis must be proud of the pacer.
"You must give credit to their bowlers, the way they bowled throughout it was wonderful. Especially Wagner, with his injured toe," ESPNcricinfo quoted Rizwan as saying.
"I told Williamson that he [Wagner] is mad. He bowled with a fractured toe and that is just different... New Zealand must be proud of him. His attitude, aggression, and everything was beautiful. He is a big bowler," he added.
Wagner was ruled out of the second Test match against Pakistan which gets underway on Sunday.
The left-handed bowler, who needed injections to numb the pain in the first Test, is expected to be out for more than five weeks.
"I'm not sure there are too many individuals that could do what he did in that Test match. It was an absolutely amazing performance. He (Wagner) was getting injections to try to numb the pain," stuff.co.nz quoted the Kiwis coach Gary Stead as saying.
"The injections were wearing off each time and we can't have him going through that again for this Test match," he added.
With the win in first Test, New Zealand not only gained a 1-0 lead in the Test series but also moved closer to the No.1 spot in the ICC Test Team rankings. The side will confirm their place on the top if they clinch the series.
