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Mohammad Rizwan : Pakistan's most versatile batsman for a long time

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Saj

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I've been impressed with Rizwan so far in international cricket.

He has a hunger and desire to succeed about him, perhaps due to the hurdles he's had to overcome to reach professional cricket.

His match awareness and ability to bat according to the situation has already been evident.

What he gives the Pakistan limited overs team is versatility ; what I mean by that is that he can keep wicket, field well anywhere whether it's on the boundary or close in and he can bat anywhere in the top 6.

This sort of gem shouldn't be wasted, he should be utilised fully and if the Pakistan think-tank do use him well he could be a real asset in the 50 over and 20 over formats. However the concern is that the team management misuse him and abuse his versatility.
 
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He needs to bat at #4.

Azhar
Mukhtar
Azam
Rizwan
Malik
Maqsood
Sarfraz
 
His attitude in the fielding is without any qualm impressive and has done good with the bat as well. Hoping he continues that. Also, saj pointed out the versatility part which is true because he upped the ante in the second Odi and scored at a good SR contrary to popular belief that he cant play quickly.
 
He is surely a long term player, if PCB don't destroy him :(
Spectacular he is, it seems he is hungry to play better and better day by day.
 
Not really excited. These threads were created for Umar Akmal as well in 2009.
 
Should not be playing at 6. He had one good game, but he's more useful up the order. My team would be:

Babar, Azhar, Rizwan, Hafeez, Malik.....
 
Wonderful.

Let's hype up another young player.

I've seen it so many times on Pakpassion. A young player walking on to the cricket field a mere nobody and walking off after a few games as the 'next big thing' after a few moments of brilliance.

The worrying side of the story is probably this, come next match, pressure is too big, the burden is too much for a player that has not played consistently at a level that is now a mandatory requirement to display.

It is really saddening to watch this over and over again, same plot, same story, just different characters . Is it really to the players benefit to bombard them with showers of glory and start making conclusions on them before they even cement a place in the team?
 
Incorrect use of the term 'versatile', it in my eyes means that the batsman can bat both at a high pace and a low pace at a good quality level - I.e., he is a good performer in Tests and ODIs, which he isn't and hence in my opinion, the OP is incorrect.
 
Bullet Drive said:
Should not be playing at 6. He had one good game, but he's more useful up the order. My team would be:

Babar, Azhar, Rizwan, Hafeez, Malik.....
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But where would Haris play - his talent would completely be wasted if he is batting below 4.

IMO - Haris > Rizwan

For now, Rizwan should continue playing at 6
 
Haroon786 said:
Incorrect use of the term 'versatile', it in my eyes means that the batsman can bat both at a high pace and a low pace at a good quality level - I.e., he is a good performer in Tests and ODIs, which he isn't and hence in my opinion, the OP is incorrect.
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But we do not know that yet since Rizwan has not even played Tests yet.

I am not saying he is but we cannot conclude anything yet...
 
Haroon786 said:
Incorrect use of the term 'versatile', it in my eyes means that the batsman can bat both at a high pace and a low pace at a good quality level - I.e., he is a good performer in Tests and ODIs, which he isn't and hence in my opinion, the OP is incorrect.
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Versatility is also attributed to one format and not necessarily a case of you are only a versatile batsman if you play many formats.

Versatility as I have outlined and which you have ignored is also the ability to bat in a variety of batting positions.
 
Let's hype up another young player.
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Hype? I don't see anyone hyping him at all?

Care to show where anyone is hyping him?
 
uberkoen said:
Wonderful.

Let's hype up another young player.

I've seen it so many times on Pakpassion. A young player walking on to the cricket field a mere nobody and walking off after a few games as the 'next big thing' after a few moments of brilliance.

The worrying side of the story is probably this, come next match, pressure is too big, the burden is too much for a player that has not played consistently at a level that is now a mandatory requirement to display.

It is really saddening to watch this over and over again, same plot, same story, just different characters . Is it really to the players benefit to bombard them with showers of glory and start making conclusions on them before they even cement a place in the team?
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I don't players visit PP. :misbah But i completely agree with your opinion.
 
Ideally he should be batting at 5 but of course Shoaib Malik had to make another comeback.
 
Saj said:
Versatility is also attributed to one format and not necessarily a case of you are only a versatile batsman if you play many formats.

Versatility as I have outlined and which you have ignored is also the ability to bat in a variety of batting positions.
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I would be OK with 'Rizwan being the most versatile batsman in the ODI team' but not across all formats, which is what the thread title implies, if that's nitpicking, then I stand guilty and apologise.
 
Good start to his career, has a swagger about him. But let's judge him until after the end of the summer.
 
Smbhayi said:
so he's like Kaif (though kaif can't keep)
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I was always a big fan of kaif but rizwan has much much more potential than him. Its an absurd comparison really because kaif was more of a defensive player. Although credit should be given to kaif for being a great fielder when indian team used to field like donkeys. It was perhaps him and somewhat yuvraj that started the turnaround in fielding department for the Indian team. Of rizwan can start such a culture for Pakistani team it would be great.
 
Madplayer said:
I was always a big fan of kaif but rizwan has much much more potential than him. Its an absurd comparison really because kaif was more of a defensive player. Although credit should be given to kaif for being a great fielder when indian team used to field like donkeys. It was perhaps him and somewhat yuvraj that started the turnaround in fielding department for the Indian team. Of rizwan can start such a culture for Pakistani team it would be great.
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as far pp suggests he lacks big hitting skills, so does Kaif but he's too have some quick cameo with quick running & occassion boundary and also step up almost every time when India is in struggle (before he lost forms due to off field controversies)..

btw I'm too big supporter of Kaif and still like him very much :afridi .. don't why he didn't get long rope in test :sanga, but surely he gets long rope in ODI :uakmal
 
Jumping the gun a bit early , he is a good player but after a couple of good innings you cant be sure the versatality part.
 
Haroon786 said:
I would be OK with 'Rizwan being the most versatile batsman in the ODI team' but not across all formats, which is what the thread title implies, if that's nitpicking, then I stand guilty and apologise.
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How can we say he's versatile in all formats, when he hasn't played Test cricket?
 
Bhaag Viru Bhaag said:
Oh you got me wrong. My point was i don't think players have time to read whatever is said about them here.
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Yes definitely.

I receive quite a few comments and a lot of feedback from a lot of players about what is being said on PakPassion about them.
 
A sign of a good batsman is how they play when they are 'out of position'
He played the last odi late down the order and came in the last 15 overs. Yet his scoring shots were all proper cricket shots. No wild heaves or slogs (Umar akmal take note) And when he could not connect he ran singles and doubles. The end result was an innings with strike rate over a 100.
He needs to work a bit on facing the short ball, but in between that he plays without loss of nerves. The comparison with Umar akmal getting hyped prematurely is not accurate. Umar in form had a lot of breathtaking shots, but he had no back up game in case the high percentage shots don't come off. And by way of comparison, Umar Akmal seems weaker than Rizwan.
 
Strong statement for a guy who has played c. 10 matches
 
Players are hyped and praised after few good games and thrown to downhill and dumped after 2 bad games. Certain players perform very well for 1-2 years initially and then start to fail big time, but the fan base he created in his good times will be jumping all over the man to have him in the team no matter how bad he lost form. They even don't agree his poor form but rather say he should be batting up the order. These kinda things are like a merry go round in pak cricket culture. Let Rizwan perform consistently for 3-4 years. I want to him to succeed as a long term player.
 
He's an impressive young cricketer. Just needs to keep doing what he's doing. Eventually, if he continues to perform, he should get more chances higher up the order.
 
He's good but I want to see him up the order. But with players like Babar Maqsood and Haris, it's hard to get him higher.
 
It might be too early to talk about his batting until he scores runs consistently but I'm also impressed by how he's played so far. His fielding is awesome though.
 
A fan of him since his debut. Rizwan, Azhar, Sohail and Maqsood are all quality batsmen, they need to be played together in the same lineup.
 
Impressed with this guy, but he should be further up the order. The problem right now is that the top order is so crammed up, we can't fit him up top yet. In the mean while, he should remain at #6.

It's quite likely that Hafeez won't be able to keep his spot as a batsman only. So soon enough, a spot should free up for him. Maybe we could have something like this.

Azhar*
Babar
Rizwan
Haris
Malik
Hammad/Kamran Ghulam? (hard hitting allrounders at 6 will be useful)
Sarfraz+
Zafar
Amir
Wahab
Ehsan/Sohail Khan?

-5th bowler could be filled by #6 allrounder, Malik, Haris, Azhar, Babar.
-Batting all the way down to #10/11.
 
Very impressive so far. Of course, he has been playing at this level for a few months only and is far from a finished article - needs to work on his front-foot defense, his bat often comes down at an angle when he looks to defend especially against spin, but he has exhibited skill, mental toughness and a clear thought-process, something that you don't normally associate with young Pakistani batsmen.

He provides the same dynamism as Umar and Maqsood without the high-risk frenzy moments, not to forget the exceptional fielding. The former two will find it hard to return to the team especially with Malik cementing himself as well.
 
Haroon786 said:
Hence why I was confused with the thread title.
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Once again.....versatility in limited overs cricket, in terms of batting positions and the fact that he can also keep wicket
 
Blistering Barnacle said:
He's an impressive young cricketer. Just needs to keep doing what he's doing. Eventually, if he continues to perform, he should get more chances higher up the order.
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I don't think he's bothered about which position he bats in, unlike others for whom it became an obsession.
 
He is the least hyped of all the young players everyone wanted to see debut (Babar, haris, and sohaib) so that makes for an interesting narrative to his success as well.
 
Pete Rose said:
He is the least hyped of all the young players everyone wanted to see debut (Babar, haris, and sohaib) so that makes for an interesting narrative to his success as well.
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And arguably one whose cemented his place the best - he's a great fielder, but more importantly he's also a backup keeper, which you always need.

I'm just enjoying that he's destroying the Umar Akmal narrative. Someone who isn't suited to bat at 6 coming on and still managing to accelerate the innings and hold on to his wicket by playing proper cricketing shots and playing well for the team. Not one peep complaining about where he's coming in, just making the most of the chances he's getting.

In that sense I agree with the premise of this post: he's versatile because he's playing out of natural position and still adapting himself to the situation. Good on him.
 
Pete Rose said:
He is the least hyped of all the young players everyone wanted to see debut (Babar, haris, and sohaib) so that makes for an interesting narrative to his success as well.
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Precisely. Nobody is hyping him up. People are talking about his potential, his versatility and predominantly his fielding skills.
 
I really like the guy, but one thing nobody has mentioned has that he is quite short in stature and might have trouble playing tall fast bowlers on bouncy pitches..
 
Syed1 said:
I really like the guy, but one thing nobody has mentioned has that he is quite short in stature and might have trouble playing tall fast bowlers on bouncy pitches..
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Short guys usually play the bouncing ball better. But in general, you have a point about his style of play vs the short delivery. I just like the fact that he is plundering 8 to 10 runs an over without undue risks.
 
Possibly the most versatile since Umar Akmal, hopefully he won't end up the same way. Really looks like a proper modern LOI player, unlike most Pak batsmen.

However, early days - even Sohaib, Haris, Shehzad etc impressed (or flattered to deceive...) initially...
 
ShehryarK said:
Possibly the most versatile since Umar Akmal, hopefully he won't end up the same way. Really looks like a proper modern LOI player, unlike most Pak batsmen.

However, early days - even Sohaib, Haris, Shehzad etc impressed (or flattered to deceive...) initially...
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he cannot afford complacency unlike ua and sohain maqsood. His background is different. UA had some connections so he got complacent etc. Muhammad Rizwan MashAllah looks like he means business. One eg that comes to my mind is Muhammad Yousuf
 
Should be given a chance at number 4 in the next game and allowed to score at his own pace. Will give him more confidence if he scores a ton.
 
Looks like someone who has a great temperament doesn't he.

Very calm and assured at the crease. Never looks flustered.
 
A serious talent indeed. Would be wonderful if he can take us home.
 
What a performance from a potential star. Really needs to be a fixture in the ODI/T20 squad, and if he continues to do well he will earn a Test cap after the retirement of Misbah and Younis.
 
Rizwan is the player Umar Akmal was supposed to be.. BTW, Pakistan should build their batting order around him..
 
Don't lose his cool in pressure unlike others.

Need to keep improving :uakmal

I have a gut feeling that he will be the man who would help us breaking India's WC streak :48:
 
Not the smoothest or most fluent innings from Rizwan in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, but he was effective and ensured that he got Pakistan to a decent if not great total.

One thing he needs to eradicate from his batting though is the over-reliance on the paddle sweep.
 
Needs a couple of centuries to take his game to the next level. I hope we play him as a proper batsman in the ODI team, he can be a start batsman for us and burdening him with the gloves is not necessary with Sarfaraz around.
 
forget the batting, his fielding is simply outstanding. We have had few athletic fielders before but his commitment and exuberance is second to none !

With Sarfraz around, I hope we dont force the gloves onto him. He deserves to be on the outfield !!
 
Saj said:
Not the smoothest or most fluent innings from Rizwan in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, but he was effective and ensured that he got Pakistan to a decent if not great total.

One thing he needs to eradicate from his batting though is the over-reliance on the paddle sweep.
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He ran out of options towards the end, he's not really a power hitter. He relies on timing, and 'cute' shots. He's not suitable for down the order hitting in T20s. If they want to play him in T20s, then I suggest they play him up the order.
 
Excellent innings today and certainly showed his versatility. Took his time and did not throw it away when it was tough for him initially against the spinners.

He clearly has a good head on his shoulders compared to the likes of Umar and Maqsood. Surely becoming a vital part of the ODI lineup.
 
Although I have my doubts about him, He and Imad are the only ones that showed the commitment required of the rest. So, yes, well played today.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 
I love this guy. He is my second favourite in the Pakistan team. I seriously hope that he keeps getting better and becomes Pakistan's most important or one of the most important batsmen for a very long time.
 
He needs to improve his game against the spinners early on. Get stuck at the crease and looks ungainly while playing forward-defense, but the important thing is that he fights through it rather holding on to log-on or deep mid-wicket out of frustration, looking to release the pressure by hitting a maximum.
 
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Perfect number 6 and eventual number 5 for us. Another player establishes himself in our lineup and with haris and babar to come, shehzad and hafeezs days are limited
 
Brilliant innings. Certainly showing Shehzad and Hafeez how you're meant to bat on a slow track. Took his time on a slow pitch, rotated the strike with Imad, and hit the bad balls he received. Great batting by Rizwan and Imad.
 
Best batsman in our ODI team already ... after producing so many hacks in the past few years we've got a real gem finally.
 
Brilliant, he is improving day by day. Bright future is waiting for him IA. But, he need to work more on his game against spin
 
Azhar
new opener (Babar Azam perhaps)
Haris
Sarfraz
Malik
Rizwan

This is without question our best top 6 in ODIs at the moment. Shehzad is rubbish and Hafeez too inconsistent, and he will be 38 at the time of the 2019 World Cup and cannot bowl anymore so it is logical to move on from him.
 
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