Pakistan batsman Mohammad Rizwan recalled the warm welcome the senior national team received when it landed in Hyderabad on Wednesday (September 27) for its World Cup campaign. the match being played behind closed doors at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, September 29.
Mohammad Rizwan said the Pakistan team players and their support staff felt good about what they got after arriving in Hyderabad. Notably, the Pakistan team landed in the city on Wednesday late evening and a large group of cricket fans gathered at the airport to cheer the team. At the team hotel, the players were given a grand welcome with scarves given to the Pakistani stars.
Several Pakistani players, including fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, took to social media to rant about Pakistan’s welcome at the Hyderabad airport. Notably, Pakistan’s senior men’s cricket team visited India for the first time since the Shahid Afridi-led team was in India for the 2016 FIFA T20 World Cup.
“People at the airport gave us a lot of love. We got the same love we got in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar,” said Rizwan.
Rizwan hit a 94-ball 103 while batting at No. 4 for Pakistan against New Zealand. The right-hander hit 2 sixes and 9 boundaries and shared 114 runs with Babar Azam, the captain. Rizwan and Babar counter-attacked after Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq got out cheaply.
Babar was out for 80 in the 30th over but Mohammad Rizwan went on to complete the century before retiring injured in an unofficial international where teams can use all of their 15 players.
‘A HUNDRED IS A HUNDRED’
Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 345 after Saud Shakeel hit 75 and Agha Salman came up with a quickfire 33.
“A hundred is a hundred in any condition. I feel proud and satisfied,” Rizwan said of his knock.
“I am happy in this batting position. Sometimes it is difficult when the ball is held but we should be able to handle the pressure. Saud Shakeel has been in great form;
“Hopefully he will continue to perform like this in ODIs. Babar and my bat are the same because we always try to rotate the strike. Our communication is good and that is the reason for our success,” he added.
Pakistan will next face Australia on October 3 in their second warm-up match in Hyderabad. Pakistan began their campaign against the Netherlands on 6 October before taking on Sri Lanka in Hyderabad on 10 October. After a long stay in the city, Pakistan will travel to Ahmedabad for the marquee match against India, scheduled for October 14.
Image Source: ICC Cricket
