KARACHI: Mohammad Rizwan, captain of Rawalpindi, has openly admitted his personal shortcomings after his team suffered a seventh consecutive defeat in Pakistan Super League Season 11.

Rawalpindi’s latest setback came at the hands of Lahore Qalandars, who secured a comfortable 32-run victory, extending Rawalpindi’s losing streak in the tournament.

Speaking to the media after the match, Rizwan acknowledged his underwhelming performances and took responsibility for not contributing enough.

“My performance hasn’t been good, but I am also a human being,” he said.

The skipper also explained his decision not to keep wickets during the match, revealing it was part of a strategy focused on nurturing young talent.

“We had planned for young players. You can see I did not keep wickets because of fast bowler Razaullah I wanted to stay alongside him and support him,” Rizwan added.

Despite the disappointing results, Rizwan pointed out a few positives, backing emerging players to grow into future stars.

“I highly rate Abdullah Fazal, and Saad Masood is a positive player. We don’t have a backup for Shadab Khan, but you can still see a spark in these players. They have the potential for the future,” he noted.

Rizwan also stressed that leadership should not be judged solely on individual performance but on overall contribution to the team.

Reflecting on his past experience in the Big Bash League and a brief break from T20 cricket, he expressed determination to improve.

“When I went to the Big Bash, I told myself I didn’t deserve a place in the team with that performance. I promised to come back with more hard work. This time, the effort was less, and the result reflects that,” he admitted.

Concluding his remarks, Rizwan maintained that while his form has not been up to the mark, stepping away from cricket is not the answer.

“We are humans. My performance is not up to the mark, but it doesn’t mean I should quit cricket. As I’ve said before, if I’m not performing, someone else should be given an opportunity,” he concluded.