Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has responded sharply to criticism following the Pakistan national cricket team’s early exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying the team’s elimination was largely due to net run rate rather than outright defeats. Pakistan failed to progress beyond the Super 8 stage of the tournament after a disappointing campaign, which has triggered criticism from fans and analysts as well as discussions within the Pakistan Cricket Board about disciplinary measures against players.

During an informal interaction with a reporter at a training session, Rizwan defended the team’s performance and downplayed the criticism surrounding their exit. When asked about reports that players could face fines of around PKR 50 lakh from the Pakistan Cricket Board, Rizwan suggested that journalists should also be held accountable for how players are portrayed in the media.

“The players have been fined, but journalists should be fined too,” Rizwan said during the conversation. He argued that the public perception of cricketers is shaped significantly by how the media presents them. According to him, the reputations of players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Salman Ali Agha often depend on media narratives rather than only their performances on the field.

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Rizwan also maintained that Pakistan’s exit should not be viewed as a major embarrassment because the team was eliminated on net run rate rather than being comprehensively defeated in matches. He pointed out that cricket often produces unexpected results and cited examples of strong teams losing to weaker opponents in international tournaments.

Referring to past surprises in the sport, Rizwan mentioned how even powerful teams have experienced shock defeats, highlighting a historic upset where the Zimbabwe national cricket team defeated the Australia national cricket team. According to him, such results illustrate the unpredictable nature of cricket and show that setbacks are part of the game.

When the reporter raised India’s dominant semifinal performance against the England national cricket team in the tournament, Rizwan said he had not been following those matches closely. The comment drew attention because India's national cricket team had posted a massive total of more than 250 runs in that game, highlighting the contrast between the two teams’ campaigns in the competition.

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