Pakistan T20 victory ‘important morale booster ahead of Test series’

Mohammed Rizwan celebrated his elevation to the Pakistan Test captaincy in style Tuesday, smashing a career-best 89 to stop New Zealand claiming a series sweep in the third Twenty20 in Napier, AFP reported.

Pakistan reached New Zealand’s target of 174 with two balls to spare, ending on 177 after Iftikhar Ahmed sealed the win with a six in the final over.

But it was Rizwan’s 89 from 59 balls, with support from 41-run Mohammad Hafeez, that inspired the victory.

It was a hard-fought win for the tourists, who suffered heavy defeats in the two opening matches after a rocky preparation that included COVID-19 quarantine in Christchurch with no training, AFP reported.

The win was particularly sweet for Rizwan, who was named on Monday as captain for the first Test against New Zealand starting December 26 after regular skipper Babar Azam was ruled out with a broken thumb.

“I never thought I’d be made the captain of Pakistan and I can’t explain my happiness,” he said after his man-of-the-match T20 performance.

Rizwan said the T20 victory was an important morale booster ahead of the two-Test series against the Black Caps.