(Video) Humiliation for Mohammad Rizwan as He Gets Retired Out by Melbourne Renegades For Batting Slow

In T20Is, Mohammad Rizwan is Pakistan's second highest run-getter with 3,414 runs at an 47.41 average, including a century and 30 half-centuries.

(Video) Humiliation for Mohammad Rizwan as He Gets Retired Out by Melbourne Renegades For Batting Slow

Mohammad Rizwan became the first overseas player in the BBL to be retired out. (Image via India Today)

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Mohammad Rizwan‘s forced retirement from the crease during a 2025-26 Big Bash League encounter marks a low point for Pakistani cricketers in the tournament. The ex-Pakistani skipper, playing for Melbourne Renegades, was made to retire out to allow another batter to take his place on Monday (January 12).

Over the last six months, Mohammad Rizwan has endured a challenging period, having been dropped from the national T20I setup and relieved of his captaincy duties for the ODI team. It marks a significant decline for a player who was named the 2021 ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year and still holds the international record for most T20I runs in a calendar year (1,326 runs in 2021 at an average of 73.66).

Despite the indisposable stats, Rizwan has struggled to secure a spot in Pakistan’s T20I squad for the past year, with his last appearance coming in an early 2025 series against South Africa. His exclusion was reportedly due to his strike-rate, which at 125.37, was considered too slow for the current ‘modern-aggressive’ style of T20 cricket. Therefore, Rizwan signed a contract with the Melbourne Renegades for this season’s BBL.

While it was initially perceived that a successful BBL stint would help him reclaim his place in Pakistan T20I side ahead of the World Cup, the 33-year-old’s struggles seem to have intensified. In eight matches so far, he has only scored 167 runs at an average of 20.88 and a strike-rate of 101.83. In his most recent BBL outing against Sydney Thunder, Rizwan created an unwanted record of being the first overseas player (and second overall) in the tournament’s history to be retired out. 

Mohammad Rizwan walked out to bat at no. 3 following Jake Fraser-McGurk‘s dismissal in the 10th over, with Renegades at 83/2. He remained not out until the 18th over, but could only manage 26 runs from 23 balls, hitting two fours and a six. Despite facing the majority of deliveries through the middle overs, his inability to accelerate the scoring led the team management to retire him out. Consequently, Rizwan was forced to walk back at the start of the 19th over to make way for captain Will Sutherland.

Clips of the moment Renegades captain Sutherland signaled Rizwan to return to the pavilion have caught fans’ attention, leaving the Pakistani batter red-faced. Despite this, Sutherland was run-out for just one run in the same over, and the team ultimately posted a total of 170/8.

Babar Azam to return, Mohammad Rizwan snubbed? Pakistan’s probable squad for T20 World Cup

With the 2026 T20 World Cup less than a month away, Pakistan is among the few big teams yet to announce its squad for the tournament. Several sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have notified that final discussions might take place later this week. 

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam
While Babar Azam might return to play for Pakistan at the 2026 T20 World Cup, Mohammad Rizwan could miss out. (Image via NDTV Sports)

The final 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup will be decided following a meeting involving head-coach Mike Hesson, selectors, and PCB head Mohsin Naqvi. The T20I squad for the World Cup is likely to closely resemble the team that just competed against Sri Lanka. Salman Ali Agha will retain his place as captain, alongside key players such as Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Shaheen Afridi.

Notably, former captain Babar Azam is expected to make his return to Pakistan’s T20I squad, having last played in a home tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe after a year-long absence. Azam is currently playing for the Sydney Sixers in the BBL. However, he will not be joined by Mohammad Rizwan, given the former captain of the national side has struggled for runs in his ongoing stint in the Australian league.

Besides these named players, several other experienced names may also be included in the 15-member Pakistani squad for the T20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Due to a diplomatic feud with India, Pakistan will play all of its matches in the island country.

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