Muhammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman, has etched his name into an elite group of wicketkeepers by scoring 150 or more runs in a Test match. His incredible performance has made him the first Pakistani wicketkeeper to achieve this milestone in over a decade.
On Thursday, during the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rizwan played a stunning knock, scoring 171 runs off 239 balls. This remarkable innings places him among legendary Pakistani wicketkeepers like Taslim Arif, Rashid Latif, Imtiaz Ahmed, and Kamran Akmal.
Rizwan’s achievement marks a significant milestone for Pakistani cricket. The last time a Pakistani wicketkeeper scored 150 in a Test was in 2009, when Kamran Akmal scored an unbeaten 158 off 184 balls against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium in Karachi. Since then, no other Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman has reached this milestone until Rizwan’s exceptional innings.
Facing 239 deliveries, Rizwan displayed a masterclass against Bangladesh, keeping the opposition on the back foot with his calculated and powerful strokes. His unbeaten 171 became his personal best in Test cricket and marked his third century in the format.
Earlier Thursday, Pakistan declared their innings at 448-6, with Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi still at the crease. Their partnership and the overall batting effort have put Pakistan in a dominant position on the test, further solidifying Rizwan’s status as a critical player for the team.
Rizwan’s brilliant knock will be remembered as one of the finest innings by a Pakistani wicketkeeper, and it has once again highlighted his importance in Pakistan’s Test line-up.