Overview
- Renegades captain Will Sutherland instructed Mohammad Rizwan to retire out after he reached 26 off 23 balls against Sydney Thunder.
- Pakistani TV discussions on GTV Sports amplified fan sentiment that the move was humiliating, with some urging Rizwan to return home in protest.
- Kamran Akmal defended Rizwan’s stature but said such tactical calls reflect modern franchise priorities and cited similar moves in the ILT20 and IPL, including a Tilak Varma example.
- The episode renewed scrutiny of Rizwan’s T20 strike rate and came after his omission from recent Pakistan T20 plans, with the BBL originally viewed as a chance to rebuild form.
- The decision did not determine the result as the Renegades’ 170 was revised to a 140 chase under DLS, which the Thunder completed with four balls left; Rizwan was reported as the first overseas player retired out in BBL history.