Mohammad Rizwan Says Pakistan Fans Will Give Better Reception To Indian Team In Pakistan Than Indian Fans Gave In Hyderabad

The Pakistan Cricket Team arrived at the Hyderabad airport on Wednesday and the fans wholeheartedly welcomed the neighbours. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and all the Pakistan Team members were overwhelmed by the grand reception they got after arriving in India.

Fans started to cheer as soon as the Pakistan Team got to the Airport and it was a great surprise for all the players to see the love and affection Indian Cricket fans had for them.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tweeted a video on their official handle where Pakistan’s Wicketkeeper Batter Mohammad Rizwan was talking about the welcome that the Pakistan team received at the Hyderabad Airport. Mohammad Rizwan said that it was very overwhelming to receive such a warm welcome, he even talked about a few of his teammates getting goosebumps after getting such a grand welcome.

“Even if Indian fans meet us outside India, they greet us with warm regards. And this is not the case with only Indian fans, the way Pakistan fans treat us, we have been treated by the Indian fans in a similar manner. There might be differences among diplomats but as soon as we stepped into the Hyderabad Airport, we felt like we were leaving the Karachi or Lahore airport for the World Cup,” Mohammad Rizwan said in a video posted by Pakistan Cricket after the game against New Zealand.

“It was a very different vibe altogether and I spoke to a lot of my teammates and some of them even confessed that they got goosebumps seeing such a reception at the airport. It will forever be a cherished memory for the Pakistan team and Inshallah when the Indian team comes to Pakistan, hopefully, the Pakistan fans will give even more love and respect to the Indian team,” Mohammad Rizwan further stated.

Hear from @iMRizwanPak as he discusses the #NZvPAK warm-up match and playing in India ?️#CWC23 | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/hoEWE1Pp1z

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 30, 2023

Mohammad Rizwan was heard saying in the video that the reception he and his teammates received at the Hyderabad airport was as if they had already won the World Cup and entered Lahore Airport and the fans are cheering for them. He also said that if the Indian team visits Pakistan in the near future, he hopes that the Pakistani fans will give even more love to the Indian players.

Mohammad Rizwan Scored A Century In The First Warm-Up Game

Pakistan faced New Zealand for their first warm-up game in Hyderabad and although the Men In Green faced a defeat, Mohammad Rizwan played a brilliant knock scoring 103 off 94 deliveries and hitting nine boundaries and two sixes in the process. Rizwan was supported by his captain Babar Azam who scored 80 off 84 deliveries. Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 345/5 but the bowling department leaked runs which led to the defeat.

New Zealand chased the target in 43.4 overs as Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and every other bowler leaked runs. Not a single bowler from Pakistan had an economy of less than 6.5 which proved their inexperience in Indian conditions.

Pakistan will face Australia for their second warm-up game and will look forward to rectifying their mistakes which they committed in the first warm-up game. They will kick off their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign against the Netherlands on 6th October in Hyderabad.