Mohammad Rizwan surpasses Jos Buttler to accomplish this T20I feat
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan played a crucial 38-run knock in the fifth and last T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch. His efforts were instrumental to Pakistan's 42-run triumph in the low-scoring affair. Having faced 38 balls, he slammed four boundaries. En route to his knock, Rizwan displaced Jos Buttler to become the batter with the most T20I runs as a designated wicket-keeper.
A fine effort from Rizwan
Pakistan were off to a poor start while batting first as Rizwan's opening partner Haseebullah Khan departed for a duck. The former then joined forces with Babar Azam (13) as the duo added 53 runs. Rizwan also added 35 runs with Fakhar Zaman (33) before falling prey to Tim Southee. The batter finished the five-match series with 184 runs, striking at 131.42.
Rizwan displaces Buttler
As mentioned, Rizwan went past England's Buttler (2,753) to become the designated wicket-keeper with the most T20I runs. The former has now raced to 2,784 runs in this regard at 50.61. No other keeper-batter with at least 400 T20 runs averages more than Rizwan. Meanwhile, the Pakistan batter's tally of 2,796 T20I runs as an opener is the fifth-most for a batter.
Second-most runs for Pakistan
Overall, Rizwan has raced to 2,981 runs in 78 T20I innings at 48.86 with 26 half-centuries and a solitary century. Babar (3,698) is the only Pakistan batter with more T20I runs than Rizwan. The latter's T20I average of 48.86 is only second to Virat Kohli (51.75) among batters with at least 1,000 runs. Overall, he is the seventh-highest run-getter in T20Is.
600-plus runs against New Zealand
Against New Zealand, Rizwan has now raced to 622 T20I runs at 38.87. The tally includes five fifties. Meanwhile, only Babar (755) has accumulated more T20I runs against the Black Caps. On NZ soil, Rizwan has raced to 517 runs at 43.08. No other visiting team batter has managed more T20I runs in the nation.
How did the game pan out?
Rizwan and Fakhar (33) batted well as Pakistan were well placed at 88/2 at one stage. However, some brilliant bowling from the home team meant the visitors were restricted to 134/8. In reply, NZ never got going as Finn Allen (22) and Glenn Phillips (26) were the only ones to cross the 20-run mark. The hosts were folded for just 92 in 17.2 overs.
