Pakistan's opener Mohammed Rizwan addressed the team's poor performance in the ICC T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA, acknowledging that the criticism directed at the team is warranted. He emphasized that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Mohsin Naqvi, has the authority to determine the team's composition. Pakistan concluded their tournament with a three-wicket victory against Ireland in Florida during the Group Stage, but this was a non-event as both India and the USA from Group A had already progressed to the Super 8 stage.
Placed in Group A, Pakistan suffered consecutive losses to the USA and then to their arch-rival, India. They managed to recover with back-to-back wins against Canada and Ireland, yet this was insufficient to reverse their fortunes and secure a Super 8 berth, finishing third in their group due to a poor net-run-rate. Rizwan, speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, "The criticism we are receiving is fair, and we accept it since our performance did not meet expectations. Players who cannot handle criticism will not succeed. We are disheartened by our showing in the T20 World Cup. There are various factors contributing to our defeats. When a team loses, it's not accurate to claim that both bowling and batting are performing well."
Rizwan likened the team's situation to that of a sick individual requiring surgery, asserting that the PCB chief has the right to shape the team's future. "Operations are routine. When someone is ill, surgery is necessary. The PCB Chairman is diligent. It is within his rights to decide who should stay in the team and who should not," he added. Rizwan's personal performance in the tournament was modest, scoring 110 runs in four innings with an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 90.90, including one fifty, a 53* against Canada. His opening partner and captain, Babar Azam, also struggled, accumulating only 122 runs in four matches with an average of 40.66, his highest score being 44 and a strike rate of 101.66.
