DUBAI: Pakistan have hailed wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan as a “warrior” after revealing he was in hospital with a severe chest infection before taking the field to score a brave half-century in defeat to Australia.

Rizwan top-scored for Pakistan with 67 from 52 balls in Thursday’s semi-final in Dubai to help the South Asians post 176, but Australia reeled in the runs to reach Sunday’s final against New Zealand.

Team doctor Najeeb Soomro said Rizwan was admitted to the intensive care unit in a local hospital in Dubai on Tuesday, but was declared fit on the morning of the semi-final.

“Mohammad Rizwan developed a severe chest infection on November 9th after which he was admitted to the hospital. He spent two nights in the ICU recovering,” Najeeb said after Pakistan lost by five wickets with Matthew Wade smashing three successive sixes against Shaheen Afridi in the penultimate over.

“He made an incredible recovery and was deemed fit before the match. We can see his great determination and tenacity that shows his spirit of performing for the country. And we can see how he performed today.”

He added: “The decision regarding his health was made by the whole team management. This was regarding the morale of the whole team and therefore we kept it within the team.”

Opener Rizwan showed no sign of illness, clubbing four sixes and three fours before falling to paceman Mitchell Starc.

Captain Babar Azam, who opened the batting with Rizwan, said the 29-year-old was a “little bit down” before the match.

“Definitely he’s a team man. The way he played today, it was exceptional,” said Babar.

“When I saw him, he was a little bit down, but when I asked him about his health he said, no, I will play. And the way he played today he showed that he’s a team man. And I am very confident about his attitude and his performance.”

During his innings, Rizwan became the first player to score 1,000 runs in T20 internationals in a calendar year.

Scoring 281 for the tournament at an average of 70.25, Rizwan is second only to Babar (303) on the World Cup runs list.

“This is a warrior,” said Pakistan batting coach Matthew Hayden, the former Australia Test opener. “He has been brilliant through [the tournament] and he’s got great courage, as has Babar. Fantastic tonight from him.”

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2021