Rizwan opens up about New Zealand defeat

Captain Mohammad Rizwan has opened up about Pakistan’s defeat in the first ODI against New Zealand.

The Men in Green were bowled out for 271 in 44.1 overs chasing a 345-run target at McLean Park on Saturday.

During the post-match match conference, Rizwan stated that they need to improve.

“The way we started the second innings—we played with good intent and executed the essentials needed for a chase. We got close, but as the pressure mounted, the momentum shifted in those critical three to four overs.”

He went on to praise Pakistan bowlers, who has had an early success against New Zealand batters.

“Our bowlers were fantastic at the start. They adapted well to New Zealand’s conditions and bowled remarkably. The decision to bowl first was the right one. However, Chapman played brilliantly, helping New Zealand post a competitive total. We need to improve more on capitalizing on key chances.”

Highlighting some positives from the game, he said that debuting three players would be beneficial to their growth. “Playing in New Zealand’s challenging conditions is a valuable experience.”

Despite the loss, he remained optimistic: “The result wasn’t what we wanted, but we have two more chances. We’ll regroup and come back stronger.”

Pakistan lost the series opener by 73 runs despite commendable efforts from Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha.