Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was not a guaranteed a spot in the playing XI of Pakistan in the recently concluded two-Test series against Sri Lanka. However, Rizwan warmed the benches and the opportunity presented itself when Sarfaraz Ahmed was hit on the helmet by a nasty bouncer. Rizwan walked in as a concussion substitute and scored a half-century to add to Pakistan’s mammoth total in second Test. On the same day Pakistan registered a massive defeat to seal the series. Rizwan did not stay for the celebrations and flew to Canada to play for Vancouver Knights and scored a match-wining unbeaten half-century.
Namibian pacer's impressive show
After Namibia left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann took a four-fer to restrict Tim Southee-led Brampton Wolves to 129/9. In the run chase, Rizwan opened the innings for Knights with his countryman Fakhar Zaman. The left-handed batter got off to a steady start in the powerplay overs. He got bowled by Dutch pacer Logan van Beek in the fifth over of the innings.
Rizwan's slow start
South African batter Corbin Bosch joined Rizwan in the middle. In the powerplay overs, the wicketkeeper-batter had scored just eight runs from 14 balls. At the halfway stage, Knights score was 64/1 and Rizwan was yet to take off.
Rizwan-Borsch finish it off
He picked up the pace in the 11th over as he hit Shahid Ahmadzai for two consecutive sixes. Few overs later, he targetted Southee. The Kiwi pacer leaked as many as 17 runs in the 16th over. In the 18th over, he hit Netherlands' Max ODowd for a boundary to reach his half-century and finish off the run chase with 17 balls to spare.
Rizwan remained unbeaten for 52 off 42 balls including two fours and three sixes. On the other end, Bosch scored 50 runs from 41 balls including five fours and one six.
This was Rassie van der Dussen-led Knights' second win from four games. They will face Surrey Jaguars in their next clash on July 29 at CAA Centre, Bramtpon, Ontario.
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