Mohammad Rizwan gets retired out after slow knock in BBL

A controversial and embarrassing moment unfolded in the Big Bash League (BBL) when Mohammad Rizwan was retired out by his own team, Melbourne Renegades, due to slow scoring.

The incident occurred during the match between Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder. Batting at number four, Rizwan managed 23 runs off 21 deliveries, with a strike rate of around 110.

In the fast-paced T20 format, this approach was deemed insufficient, prompting captain Will Sutherland to signal Rizwan to leave the field. Importantly, this was not due to injury, but a tactical decision based purely on his slow scoring rate.

The moment appeared unusual and uncomfortable, as T20 cricket demands aggressive intent from the very first ball.

Rizwan, along with Babar Azam, has faced sustained criticism in recent times for maintaining a low strike rate in T20 cricket.

Before being retired out, Rizwan had scored 26 runs off 23 balls, including two fours and one six. Notably, this six was his only maximum in BBL season 15.

The decision triggered a strong reaction on social media, where fans described the episode as humiliating and heavily criticised the Pakistani batter.

Several users termed it one of the most embarrassing moments of Rizwan’s T20 career, while others pointed out that he had become one of the first Pakistani batters to be retired out for tactical reasons in a T20 match.

The incident has further increased pressure on Rizwan, who is already out of Pakistan’s T20 setup and was using the BBL as an opportunity to regain form ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.