Mohammad Rizwan led a brilliant counter-attack for Pakistan in the third Test against Australia in Sydney. With Pakistan already having lost the series with losses in the first two Tests, they also fell behind in the third Test as well after being reduced to 47/4 inside the first 15 overs only.
After that, though, Mohammad Rizwan, with the team already struggling, decided to throw some counterpunches and did it superbly, rattling the Aussie bowlers.
Rizwan smashed 10 fours and 2 sixes in his entertaining innings of 88 runs in 103 balls. This knock from the wicket-keeper batsman at least allowed Pakistan’s total to go beyond 200, which looked a daunting task once they were tottering at 47/4.
One of Rizwan’s two sixes came off the bowling of pacer Josh Hazlewood. While it was an unusual shot for the fans – a mix of a pull and slog sweep – the followers of Rizwan’s batting know he plays such strokes regularly, mostly because he is a legside dominant batsman.
It was a length delivery on off-stump to which Rizwan crouched a little, got under the ball, and slogged-cum-pulled it over fine leg. The crowd at the SCG was stunned as it was the first six of Pakistan’s innings. Josh Hazlewood, too, seemed stunned and impressed simultaneously with the unusual stroke from Rizwan that fetched him six runs. Hazlewood stared at Rizwan as the ball went soaring over the fence and into the crowd, before turning around with a look that said he was surprised!
Watch: Mohammad Rizwan plays a slog-cum-pull that leaves Hazlewood and SCG crowd stunned
— Travis Head (@TravisHead8441) January 3, 2024
From nowhere! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/dNoLC6OuVK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2024
Later in his innings, Mohammad Rizwan also smashed Nathan Lyon, the veteran off-spinner, for a thunderous six.
Meanwhile, Pakistan are on the verge of getting all out on Day 1. The Australia captain Pat Cummins has taken another brilliant five-wicket haul, and at the time of writing, Pakistan are 233/9.
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