DURBAN: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan achieved several unwanted records with his hard-fought 74-run knock in the first T20I of the three-match series against South Africa here at the Kingsmead Stadium on Tuesday.
Opening the innings for Pakistan in a 184-run chase, Rizwan scored 46 off 49 deliveries in the 16th over, with the touring side needing 60 in the final over.
The right-handed batsman finally changed gears and hit Kwena Maphaka for two sixes in the next over, which saw him rack up a half-century off 50 deliveries.
Mohammad Rizwan finally retreated off the second delivery of the final over, leaving the tailenders chasing 18 runs off four deliveries.
He remained Pakistan’s top scorer with a 62-ball 74, which featured five fours and three sixes.
Notably, his final strike rate of 119.35 was the third lowest in fifty-plus batting, while his unbeaten 53 against Canada in this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup remained his slowest in fifty-plus. entries.
Rizwan’s rasping knock was also the second slowest knock by a captain for 70 runs in men’s T20Is, behind only New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, who scored 70 off 60 deliveries against Pakistan in 2016.
His 74 off 62 balls is fourth on the list of slowest T20I batting by an all-round batsman facing 60+ balls in the chase, closely following his compatriot Sarfaraz Ahmedwho scored an unbeaten 76 off 64 deliveries against New Zealand in 2014, but for a winning cause.
Slowest strokes of a complete batsman facing 60+ balls in a T20I chase
| Player | Run | Balls | Attack Rate | Opposition | Year |
| Gautama Gambhir (IND) | 56* | 60 | 93.33 | Australia | 2012 |
| Kane Williamson (New Zealand) | 70 | 60 | 116.66 | Pakistan | 2016 |
| Sarfaraz Ahmed (PAK) | 76* | 64 | 118.75 | New Zealand | 2014 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 74 | 62 | 119.35 | South Africa | 2024 |
| Wesley Madhevere (ZIM) | 73* | 61 | 119.67 | Namibia |
2022 |
