Mohammad Rizwan's stellar half-century led Pakistan to a crucial seven-wicket victory over Canada in the T20 World Cup 2024 match on Tuesday. This win marks Pakistan's first win in the tournament, following consecutive defeats to the USA and India.
Opting to field first, Pakistan's bowlers restricted Canada to a modest 106-7 despite a resilient innings from opener Aaron Johnson, who scored 52 off 44 balls. Johnson's aggressive start included consecutive boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi's first two deliveries. However, his dismissal in the 14th over triggered a collapse for Canada, as no other top-order batsman reached double figures.
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Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf starred with the ball for Pakistan, with Amir finishing at 2-13 and Rauf at 2-26. Rauf's scalps included Shreyas Movva and Ravinderpal Singh, marking his 100th wicket in T20 cricket.
In response, Pakistan chased down the target comfortably, with Mohammad Rizwan anchoring the innings with a crucial fifty. Rizwan's knock ensured Pakistan reached 107-3 with 25 balls to spare, revitalizing their campaign in Group A.
Canada's defeat leaves them with two points in the group, having previously lost to the USA and narrowly defeated Ireland. India and the USA currently top Group A with four points each.
Pakistan, the 2009 champions and 2022 runners-up, will look to build on this victory as they continue their campaign in the T20 World Cup.
