Anchoring role in T20s is very difficult and sometimes it looks very embarrassing: Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan's T20I opener Mohammad Rizwan has admitted that it gets embarrassing for him at times to play a role of anchor in the shortest format of the game. His strike-rate in the shortest format has come under the scanner time and again. Rizwan has been criticised by the experts as well for not upping the ante from the start of the innings. However, he has revealed that he takes up the anchor role only when the team asks him to do it.

The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter is currently featuring for the Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). He is batting at four in the competition and has stated that the whenever he is picked by a team to play in T20 Leagues, he is asked to play an anchor's role in order for the other batters to play around him.

"It is very difficult role (anchor role in shortest format) and sometimes it looks very embarrassing. What my experience says and what I know is that whenever someone hires me, they demand me to play the anchor role like the way I do in Pakistan," he said while speaking to the reporters, according to Cricbuzz.

"I always assess the condition, assess the opponent and do these kinds of things (anchoring the innings) and sometimes it is embarrassing because in T20 everyone knows we love sixes and they want me to score 60-70 runs from 35-45 balls, but for me to win the match," Rizwan added.

My cricket idol is AB de Villiers, says Rizwan

Mohammad Rizwan is currently the second-ranked T20I batter in ICC rankings and he has been consistent enough to accelerate at the back end of the innings. He also revealed that his cricket idol is AB de Villiers, and looks at his performances across formats closely every time.

"You can look at the scoreboard and see what the team demand from you. Basically for me, my cricket idol is AB De Villiers and I look at him very closely and his performances in Test cricket and T20 as well and that's why I also try to play according to the demand of the team."

"In T20 cricket, sometimes you can go with slow strike rate because sometimes in T20 you are in a position where they (opposition) are looking to take wickets. You can go slow (when you've lost a couple of wickets) but when the team needs you to hit the long ball, you can go with the momentum. For me, assessing the time is important (when to break free) and thankfully, most of the time, I am successful," Rizwan further said.