What is the best thing to have happened to Pakistan cricket in recent years? The answer is simple – Babar Azam. And what is the second best?
For many, it’s Mohammad Rizwan. There is something about an accomplished wicketkeeper who is also a top-class batsman that galvanises a team and provides a rigid frame. There are a few non negotiables when it comes to a competitive team, and a solid wicketkeeper-batsman is right up there.
For Pakistan, the rise of Rizwan has come during a period of upheaval. Pakistan are in fifth spot in Test rankings, down to sixth in ODIs and fourth in T20s – a format they dominated a few years back.
Rizwan has proven to be an able replacement of Sarfaraz Ahmed behind the stumps, averaging 43 with the bat in Tests and affecting 38 dismissals in 15 Tests. But it is in white-ball, and especially T20s, where Rizwan has flourished.
The 29-year-old averages just under 49 after 39 T20s, and has risen to seventh in the ICC rankings for batsmen. He had a stellar 20-over series recently in England, with scores of 63, 37 and 76 not out as the men in green put up a good fight before losing the series 2-1. In fact, he has had a sensational year in T20 cricket, scoring one century and seven fifties in 13 matches.
And things seem to be moving in the right direction. Especially since Rizwan has been bumped up the order in limited overs cricket. The right-hand batsman opens in T20 cricket now and has settled into the No 4 position in one-dayers. And that has brought the best out of him.
For Rizwan, helping Pakistan win is the only target, just like it is for Sarfaraz.
“Saifi bhai is our imam at prayers. He is a great human being and have learnt a lot from him,” Rizwan told The National.
“We back each other at nets and he always talks to the batsmen at the pitch to share his thoughts. We both have one clear objective and that is to make Pakistan proud.”
We both have one clear objective and that is to make Pakistan proud
Rizwan and Sarfaraz
And things seem to be moving in the right direction. Especially since Rizwan has been bumped up the order in limited overs cricket. The right-hand batsman opens in T20 cricket now and has settled into the No4 position in one-dayers. And that has brought the best out of him.
“Yes you can say that batting up the order gives me freedom as I have played most of my cricket there in domestic level. I wasn’t a wicketkeeper initially but a good fielder. So I used to bat up. Initially I struggled in international cricket but now I am enjoying batting up the order.”
It’s surprising to know Rizwan was not a keeper growing up. He is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted glovemen in the game. And even with the additional responsibilities of being a main batsman and in the leadership group, wicketkeeping comes first.
“Keeping wickets is my love. I am not satisfied after a practice session if I do not spend time in my gloves. I was not a keeper at the start of my career but I was a good fielder in my home town and I was among those boys who loved to dive no matter whether you are playing at grounds or roads.
“I think wicketkeeping makes me a fearless personality and it helped me a lot in my batting as well.
“Wicketkeeping is my prime job and I consider myself as a wicketkeeper batsman. But I don’t consider anything difficult as I believe in preparations.”
While it has mostly been rosy for Rizwan as a player, Pakistan’s recent performance against England was not quite so. They lost all three ODIs, but put up a far better effort in the T20 series, losing 2-1 only in the last over of the decider. For Rizwan, that was ample proof that the team is moving in the right direction ahead of the T20 World Cup in the UAE later in the year.
“Yes it [England series] was a major test before the global event starts in the Gulf. But I think our boys did very well against a team that is No 1 in T20 cricket. We played competitive cricket in the T20 series against England. The decider went into the last over. Our spinners stood up, which is a really good sign before the UAE event where spinners will play an important role”
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
