Mohammad Rizwan, born on June 1, 1992, in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is 32 years old. His friends call him by nicknames like Rizi and Rizu. He is a right-handed batter and also bowls with his right arm as a medium-pace bowler. Rizwan is known for his skills as a wicketkeeper and batter, playing a key role in his team. He stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and is mainly recognized for his excellent work behind the stumps as a wicketkeeper.
For many years, it seemed like Mohammad Rizwan’s international cricket career would only exist in a dream, as he kept scoring runs in domestic cricket but struggled to get a spot in Pakistan’s national team. However, when he returned to international cricket in January 2019 after two years, his name was often mentioned. Most of the time, people compared him to Sarfaraz Ahmed, Pakistan’s main wicketkeeper and captain, but Rizwan had his own skills that showed he deserved more chances to play for Pakistan.
When Rizwan first started, he was known as a good wicketkeeper, but his batting was limited. He made his international debut soon after the 2015 World Cup, when Pakistan was still looking for a permanent wicketkeeper. Rizwan made a strong start, performing well against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, averaging nearly 60 runs in his first eight innings. However, when he faced stronger teams, his weaknesses became clear. He went through a rough patch, and after losing his place to Sarfaraz for the 2016 World T20, it was clear Sarfaraz had become Pakistan’s top wicketkeeper. When Sarfaraz was made captain after the World T20, Rizwan’s chances to play became even fewer, and he didn’t play any matches until Sarfaraz was banned for five games during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa in January 2019.
In domestic cricket, Rizwan has always been a top performer, with an average of nearly 50 runs in List A matches and 41 in first-class cricket. However, he didn’t have the attacking shots needed for T20 cricket, which was Sarfaraz’s strong point. So, it was hard for Rizwan to replace him in the T20 format.
Rizwan has played in Pakistan’s domestic circuit for over a decade, especially in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he has been part of the successful SNGPL team, helping them win three titles in four years. But despite his efforts, he had only received one Test cap by 2016, which felt like an unfair reward for his performances.
In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Rizwan played for Karachi Kings, often as a backup to Chadwick Walton. But when Sarfaraz was dropped from the national team, Rizwan’s career quickly took off. He scored 95 runs in Brisbane during his first Test after being called up again, but it was Pakistan’s tour of England where he really showed his worth. He scored two half-centuries in Southampton and performed brilliantly as a wicketkeeper, proving that he was Pakistan’s long-term solution behind the stumps. Soon after, Rizwan was made the vice-captain of Pakistan’s Test team and was included in the white-ball teams.
Rizwan and T20 cricket didn’t seem like a natural fit at first, but in 2021, he proved everyone wrong with a record-breaking year. He started by hitting an unbeaten 104 against South Africa and went on to score seven more half-centuries, making him the player with the most T20I runs in a single year. He was also the second-highest run-scorer in the 2021 PSL, just behind his Pakistan teammate Babar Azam, and he led Multan Sultans to the PSL title.
Rizwan’s steady and reliable performances at the top of the order turned one of Pakistan’s weaknesses into a strength. He is now in the best form of his career and is one of Pakistan’s most important players heading into the 2021 World T20.
| Teams |
|---|
| Pakistan |
| Comilla Victorians |
| FATA Region |
| Karachi Kings |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Fighters |
| Lahore Qalandars |
| Multan Sultans |
| North West Frontier Province-Baluchistan |
| Pakistan A |
| Pakistan Chief Ministers XI |
| Pakistan Emerging Team |
| Pakistan Under-19s |
| Pakistan Under-23s |
| Peshawar |
| SNGPL |
| Sydney Sixers |
| Vancouver Knights |
Mohammad Rizwan Career Stats: Batting & Fielding
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 32 | 52 | 9 | 1910 | 171* | 44.41 | 3465 | 55.12 | 3 | 10 | 203 | 14 | 81 | 3 |
| ODIs | 74 | 67 | 15 | 2088 | 131* | 40.15 | 2325 | 89.80 | 3 | 13 | 180 | 21 | 76 | 3 |
| T20Is | 102 | 89 | 21 | 3313 | 104* | 48.72 | 2620 | 126.45 | 1 | 29 | 278 | 92 | 53 | 11 |
| FC | 117 | 180 | 30 | 6675 | 224 | 44.50 | 12296 | 54.28 | 14 | 33 | 781 | 27 | 320 | 18 |
| List A | 177 | 163 | 41 | 5870 | 141* | 48.11 | 6563 | 89.44 | 12 | 32 | 505 | 69 | 176 | 19 |
| T20s | 272 | 241 | 56 | 7953 | 110* | 42.98 | 6325 | 125.73 | 2 | 67 | 700 | 215 | 183 | 46 |
Mohammad Rizwan Career Stats: Bowling
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 32 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ODIs | 74 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20Is | 102 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| FC | 117 | 12 | 237 | 136 | 4 | 2/10 | 2/10 | 34.00 | 3.44 | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 177 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20s | 272 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 1 | 1/22 | 1/22 | 22.00 | 11.00 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mohammad Rizwan T20 Stats: Batting & Fielding
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSL | 3 teams | 83 | 72 | 14 | 2403 | 110* | 41.43 | 1885 | 127.48 | 1 | 20 | 216 | 60 | 71 | 15 |
| BPL | 2 teams | 17 | 17 | 5 | 478 | 73 | 39.83 | 422 | 113.27 | 0 | 4 | 42 | 16 | 12 | 2 |
| Vitality Blast | SUSS | 7 | 7 | 1 | 275 | 81* | 45.83 | 191 | 143.97 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 11 | 7 | 1 |
Mohammad Rizwan T20 Stats: Bowling
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSL | 3 teams | 83 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BPL | 2 teams | 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vitality Blast | SUSS | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
