Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batter, Mohammad Rizwan, delivered an incredible performance during Pakistan’s first match of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 against the Netherlands in Hyderabad on October 6. Rizwan's impressive knock of 68 runs from 75 balls played a pivotal role in helping the Babar Azam-led team set a competitive total of 286 runs for the loss of 10 wickets.
What caught the attention of many was Rizwan offering Namaz on the cricket field during the match. The 31-year-old right-handed batsman, who came to bat at No. 4, contributed significantly to Pakistan's cause. His partnership worth 120 runs with Saud Shakeel for the fourth wicket proved instrumental in achieving a respectable total against the Dutch team.
A video capturing this moment on the field has gone viral on the internet. This incident occurred during the second half of the match, while the Netherlands were batting. In the video, Rizwan can be seen offering namaz while his teammates await drinks during the break.
While Pakistan eventually secured an 81-run victory over the Netherlands in their inaugural ODI World Cup 2023 match, it was an intense and hard-fought battle. The Dutch team pushed the Men in Green to their limits in both batting and bowling, providing a challenging contest throughout the match. Notably, this win marked Pakistan's first-ever ODI World Cup victory on Indian soil.
While skipper Babar Azam struggled, managing just five runs from 18 balls, Muhammad Rizwan's outstanding performance, along with contributions from Mohammad Nawaz (39 runs) and Shadab Khan (32 runs) at the lower order, proved essential in achieving Pakistan's total of 286 runs.
Pakistan's next challenge in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 awaits them on Tuesday, October 10, against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, the same venue where they played their warm-up matches. Anticipating considerable support from the crowd, Pakistan faces a more formidable opponent in Sri Lanka compared to their previous encounter against the Netherlands.