AUS vs PAK | Twitter reacts as Rizwan combines slog sweep with the pull to stun Hazlewood with massive blow

01/03/2024

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Sun Tzu famously proclaimed in 'The Art of War' that attack is the best form of defence and Mohammad Rizwan has certainly adopted the adage as his cricket motto. The wicket-keeper batsman paid no heed to his team's collapse in the wake of brilliant Australian bowling at SCG with a shot for the ages.

Pakistan's hopes of clinching a first Test win Down Under in 28 years were quickly flushed down the drain within the first session of play in the Pink Test at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday as the Men in Green collapsed to 47/4. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood both struck with their second delivery in the encounter while Pat Cummins sent Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel packing to bring Mohammad Rizwan to the crease. With the deck playing certain tricks on the batter and given the team's precarious situation, the veteran would conventionally have been expected to preserve himself through the lunch but Rizwan instead provided one of the defining moments of the day.

Hazlewood steamed in to begin the 20th over and delivered his trademark top-of-off stump delivery to compound the pressure on the visitors. Rizwan, however, shuffled across his stumps early, before bending his knees considerably and whipping the rising Kookaburra with a brutal swipe across the chest. The weird amalgamation of a slog sweep, traditionally reserved for spinners, along with an aggressive front-foot pull worked wonders for the batter as it flew over square leg and into the stands, provoking the fans in the section to cover their heads both in awe and concern.

The usually stoic Hazlewood could not help but shoot an ambiguous stare at his counterpart as if to acknowledge the brilliance of the shot and that was all the fodder Twitterati needed to heap praise on Rizwan's bold statement.

What a shot!

pic.twitter.com/vyLEhvsyCb
— Travis Head (@TravisHead8441) January 3, 2024

Just wow!

From nowhere! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/dNoLC6OuVK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2024

Trademark

Muhammad Rizwan with his trademark six!! ❤️🔥#Rizwan | #PAKvsAUS | #AUSvsPAK pic.twitter.com/AUWS687eDp
— Pct Editz (@PctEditz) January 3, 2024

Beautiful

Muhammad Rizwan produces this beautiful shot from no where to a stunning six! 🔥#AUSvsPAK pic.twitter.com/DPJzDw6K9p
— Talha Junaid (@TalhaJunaid786) January 3, 2024

Counter attack!

The first six of Pakistan's innings and that from Muhammad Rizwan’s bat. He is counter-attacking the Australian fast bowlers.#PAKvsAUS pic.twitter.com/1QOcX14JH2
— ZAINI💚 (@ZainAli_16) January 3, 2024

Signature shot!

Hitting a six towards deep square leg is Rizwan's signature shot. If he gets a ball in that direction,he doesn't hesitate to play that shot, regardless of the team's position. I have seen him play this shot many times,often alongside Babar Azam.#AUSvsPAK pic.twitter.com/axSi39KngR
— Usman Shaikh 🇮🇳 (@shaikhusman_7) January 3, 2024

Quick hands

Rizwan bat speed for that six 63KPH.

He has very quick hands and that is the secret to why he has been the highest six hitter for Pakistan since 2021. Excellent reflexes and hand eye coordination.
— Prince 🇮🇪🇵🇰🇦🇫 (@AzzyShahzzy) January 3, 2024

Massive