Rizwan Hits 200 Not Out in Domestic Comeback After England Axing

Photo: PCB via Geo Super

Mohammad Rizwan answered his critics with the bat on Wednesday, smashing an unbeaten 200 for Peshawar in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. It was his second double century in first-class cricket, and it came weeks after he was sent home from England and left out of Pakistan's Test side. Peshawar declared on 503 for four, and Faisalabad were left chasing the game.

Rizwan resumed the second day on 111 and never looked back. He finished on 200 not out from 252 balls, hitting 35 fours and a six at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Dawn reported. His stand of 179 with Najab Khan, who made 133, put Peshawar in command after they had resumed on 306 for three.

Mohammad Haris added an unbeaten 70 from 69 balls as Peshawar declared on 503 for four in 115.2 overs. In reply, Faisalabad reached 118 for two at stumps, still 385 behind, with Asim Ali Nasir on 35 and Atiq-ur-Rehman on 24. The Geo Super report carried the PCB photograph of Rizwan holding his bat after reaching the landmark.

The innings was about more than runs. Rizwan was one of seven players sent home after the second Test at Lord's, following a poor tour of England in which he managed just 61 runs in four innings. He remains under investigation by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency over matters linked to the tour, and the Pakistan Cricket Board only recently cleared him to play domestic cricket again.

A double century in those circumstances is a loud answer. It does not settle the investigation or win back a Test place on its own, but it is the kind of innings selectors cannot ignore, with Pakistan's home series against Sri Lanka around the corner.

It was a busy day around the grounds. Babar Azam made just 28 as Lahore Whites were bowled out for 234 against Fata, who had made 362 with debutant Fawad Arshad scoring 115. Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets for Fata. At Rawalpindi, Multan recovered from 88 for five to reach 249 for seven in reply to Islamabad's 215, with Imran Rafiq unbeaten on 93. Karachi Blues made 280 to lead Sialkot Blues by 39 runs.

It has been a wild week of sport on the blog, from Como's record 9-1 win at Lens to Dortmund's late win at Real Betis and Arsenal and Manchester City winning late on Wednesday night in the Champions League.

Sources

• Dawn: Rizwan cracks double ton in resounding comeback
• Geo Super: QEAT, Rizwan's double century puts Peshawar in command against Faisalabad

Rizwan will hope the selectors were watching when Pakistan name their side for the Sri Lanka series.

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