KARACHI: Rawalpindi captain Mohammad Rizwan exuded relief and pride after his side clinched their first win in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Thursday, defeating Islamabad United and highlighted the team’s resilience following a series of challenging results.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Rizwan underlined the importance of victory for the players and their loyal supporters, while acknowledging the continued support from the team management and owners, who urged the team to deliver under pressure.
“Firstly, I would like to dedicate this win to Bindis’ fans. We have been getting constant messages from the owners asking us to give our absolute best to our supporters, so to finally give them that first win is incredibly rewarding,” said Rizwan.
The wicketkeeper-batsman credited the bowling unit for laying the foundation of the win, praising their discipline and execution at key moments.
“The real credit for today’s result goes to our bowling department. Although the pitch was not too tough to bat on, the clinical spells of Mohammad Amir and Asif Afridi really tipped the balance in our favour,” he said.
Rizwan added that the team’s strategy revolved around controlling the game early, especially during the powerplay, which proved decisive in the end.
“Our whole tactical plan was to be disciplined in the powerplay—reduce the run rate and restrict them to manageable totals. Once we achieved that, it gave us the platform we needed to chase down the target with confidence,” he concluded.
Electing to bowl first, Rawalpindi’s decision left the three-time champions bowled out for 137 in their allotted 20 overs.
Opener Devon Conway scored 40 off 33 balls including 3 fours and 2 sixes. Chris Green scored 29 runs off 16 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes while Mark Chapman added 23 runs.
For Rawalpindis, Mohammad Amir, Dion Forrester and Saad Masood took 2 wickets each and Asif Afridi, Naseem Shah and Daryl Mitchell took 3 wickets each.
In reply, Rawalpindis scored 138 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in the 19th over. Rizwan led the way with a 38-ball 45 including 5 fours and a six.
Kamran Ghulam scored 42 runs off 30 balls with 5 fours and a six, while Daryl Mitchell and Forrester added 32 and 13 runs respectively.
For Islamabad United, Imad Wasim, Shatab Khan and Chris Green took one wicket each.