PAK vs NZ: "This Is Not Club Cricket" - Rashid Latif Slams Pakistan Players For Prioritizing Mohammad Rizwan's Century Over Team Score

In a scathing attack on Pakistan’s cricket team, former cricketer and commentator Rashid Latif criticized the team’s batsmen for prioritizing Mohammad Rizwan’s century over the team’s success in the fifth T20I against New Zealand.

Latif’s criticism comes after Mohammad Rizwan played a brilliant knock in the fifth match of the series against New Zealand. Despite Rizwan’s brilliant knock, Pakistan only managed to score 193 runs in their allotted 20 overs, a total that New Zealand chased down with ease.

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Latif questioned the team’s approach and pointed out that the batsmen failed to rotate the strike and play aggressive cricket, which ultimately cost the team the match. He went on to say that the team’s focus on individual milestones over the team’s success is concerning and could hurt their chances in future matches.

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Furthermore, Latif criticized the team’s finishers for not doing their job and focusing more towards Mohammad Rizwan’s hundred than the team total.

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Imad Genuinely Wanted Mohammad Rizwan To Score His Century: Rashid Latif

During a local sports show, former cricketer Rashid Latif emphasized the importance of prioritizing the team’s interests, particularly in light of Pakistan’s loss to New Zealand in the fifth T20I match of the series. Latif explained that the team’s defeat was due to their failure to score enough runs with their focus on Mohammad Rizwan’s ton and their subpar bowling in the latter half of the game.

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“In the last two overs, a lot of singles were being taken. Imad should’ve tried for the bigger hit when he was in his comfort zone. There was no point in scoring a single only to get someone else’s century done. This is not club cricket, and neither is this one dimensional, particularly happening for someone’s personal benefit. This is the national team’s match -essentially for Pakistan. You missed a ball to score a run, then were dismissed at the next ball. The following batsman [Faheem Ashraf] also scored a single to rotate the strike,”

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“Those who keep the team as their first priority and their own performance are secondary to them always succeed. Mistakes are bound to happen – maybe Imad genuinely wanted Mohammad Rizwan to score his century – we all have committed mistakes at one point or another in our careers. But the attitude wasn’t justified. The message that was delivered across was wrong. I thought intention was wrong,”

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