'Adjustments are required,' says Rizwan after Pindiz's fifth consecutive defeat

LAHORE: RawalPindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan on Friday acknowledged the need for "adjustments" after the debutants suffered a gruelling 61-run defeat at the hands of Quetta Gladiators in the 18th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium.

The defeat marked Pindiz's fifth in as many matches and meant that the new entrants remained at the bottom of the PSL 11 standings.

RawalPindiz, making their PSL debut this season, have been dealing with contrasting issues, as they lost three matches after registering 180-plus scores, while two of their losses were due to their batting unit's failure to pile up a defendable total.

The new entrants made several changes to their lineup for their Karachi leg campaign opener against the previous edition's runners-up, including slotting in pacer Ben Sears and experienced opener Usman Khawaja.

But the string of chances did not bring change in fortune for the Pindiz, and their captain, Rizwan, has now admitted that the side clearly require some adjustments, while asserting that they have been actively working to overcome their struggles.

"We certainly recognise the need for change; it's clear that adjustments are required to get us back on track. Reflecting on the game, we've had our share of struggles, but we are actively working to overcome them," said Rizwan at the post-match presentation.

"We brought in Ben Sears specifically to strengthen our death-bowling options and included Usman Khawaja to bolster the lineup. There have been ups and downs, and we are constantly trying to fix those gaps," he added.

Rizwan claimed that the Pindiz's bowling unit was on track to restrict the Gladiators to around 150, but Hasan Nawaz and Jahandad Khan took the total beyond their reach.

"On this pitch, we felt we were restricting them well to around 140 or 150, but Hasan Nawaz and Jahandad deserve a lot of credit—they took the score from 150 to 180, which was a bit excessive for these conditions."

Besides the team's inability to register their maiden victory, pressure has been piling up on Rizwan due to his below-par individual performances as the right-handed opener has thus far managed to accumulate 83 runs in five innings at a meagre average of 16.60 and a strike rate of 123.88.

Reflecting on his ongoing rough patch with the bat, Rizwan admitted that the team would struggle if he did not lead from the front, but stressed that he was working hard on his shortcomings.

"Regarding my personal form, I know how important it is to maintain self-belief. I realise that if I don't lead from the front, the team will struggle," Rizwan stated.

"I am working hard on my shortcomings and putting in the effort; I believe in showing courage and working hard, leaving the ultimate results in the hands of the Almighty. It is a tough period right now, but I am committed to fighting through it," he added.

The Pindiz captain then went on to express optimism regarding their chances to qualify for the playoffs, which will feature the top four teams on the points table, insisting that they need to play with courage in the remaining five matches.

"We need to play with courage, ups and downs are part of the game. Five matches remain; if we play well, we might qualify for the playoffs."