‘Easy to comment from outside, one gets to know only when they are part of the team’: Saqlain’s reply to Akhtar and Gambhir’s criticism on Rizwan’s batting style

This combination is not working. Pakistan has to look into a lot of things. Fakhar, Iftikhar, Khushdil all need to be looked into. And Rizwan, 50 off 50 is not going to work anymore. Doesn't benefit Pakistan.
Hats off to Sri Lanka. What a team

Full video: https://t.co/rYk3d01K65

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) September 11, 2022

“Rizwan, 50 off 50 is not going to work anymore. Doesn’t benefit Pakistan,” Akhtar wrote on Twitter.

Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed (32) added 71 runs for the third wicket in almost 10 overs as Sri Lanka kept mounting the pressure by bowling tidily in the middle overs. Rizwan was dismissed in the 17th over, and by then, the game had slipped through Pakistan’s hand. They needed 61 runs in the last four wickets with six wickets in hand.

However, Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq defended Mohammad Rizwan’s batting approach in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka.

“Unki soch hai. Jo bahir log baithe hote hai na, wo bahir se cheezon ko dekhte hai aur uske upar baat kar dete hai (Easy to comment from outside, one gets to know only when they are part of the team), said Saqlain, when he was asked about Rizwan’s criticim from the former cricketers.

Rizwan has been the highest run-getter for Pakistan in the Asia Cup with 281 runs in six innings, including three half-centuries. RIzwan is also the No 1 batter in the T20Is.

“It’s not their mistake. They saw the result, and scorecard and made their comments. They have no idea about what is happening inside the dressing room, what the players feel about their confidence and the injuries they are carrying.

“I have worked as an expert for three years. So, I know how things worked. Once they work closely with the cricketers from inside only then they will get to know about the team bonding, the environment,” he added.

Saqlain also heaped praise on Asif Ali and Shadab Khan, who got injured during the match but still went out to bat.

“Asif ke haath mey chaar taanke lage hue hai. Shadab ke kaan me se khoon nikal raha, usko concussion ka tha fir bhi batting karne ke liye gaya (Asia played with four stitches in his hand. Shadab’s ear was bleeding, he was concussed after the Collison and despite all of this he went to bat),” said Saqlain.

Earlier, Bhanuka Rajapaksa hit an unbeaten 71 off 45 balls in Dubai and led Sri Lanka as it recovered from 58-5 to reach 170-6 in the final after Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

Pakistan 🇵🇰 head coach, Saqlain Mushtaq is impressed with @BhanukaRajapak3’s performance in the DP World #AsiaCup 2022 final. He talks about the unpredictable nature of T20Is, and revisiting Pakistan’s strategy 💪🏼 with a 360 approach.#SLvPAK #ACC #GetReadyForEpic #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/zd4da2a57Z

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 11, 2022

“I’ll credit the Sri Lankans. We’d broken their backbone in the first nine overs, but the way Rajapaksa played, and the others rallied around him, no praise is enough. I’m sure it should be the best innings of his life. The way he lifted them, hats off,” said Saqlain on the Asia Cup winners.

Pakistan crashed to 147 all out off the last balls as its top order continued to struggle against the pace with fast bowler Pramod Madushan claiming 4-34 in only his second T20 international.

“As a batting unit, we didn’t perform according to our potential,” Babar said. “We didn’t finish the way we would have wanted to and gave away 15-20 extra runs … the more you learn from these ups-and-downs is good, but you need to reduce your mistakes.”

Sri Lanka made a stunning comeback with five successive wins in the tournament after getting beaten by Afghanistan in its opening game, including beating Pakistan twice.