Rizwan Names The Toughest Bowler He Has Faced In His Career

March 31, 2025: In a candid discussion on a special cricket show, Pakistan’s ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan shared his thoughts on the toughest bowlers he’s faced in his career, with India’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah topping the list.

Rizwan, who has faced a range of world-class bowlers during his international career, began by recalling his early years in international cricket when Australia’s Josh Hazlewood was the bowler who gave him the most trouble. However, over the years, Bumrah’s reputation as one of the best fast bowlers in the world has made him the most challenging opponent for Rizwan.

“When I started playing international cricket, I felt Josh Hazlewood was the toughest I faced. But now it is Jasprit Bumrah,” Rizwan stated during the conversation with former Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who was hosting the session.

Fakhar Zaman, Rizwan’s teammate, also shared his toughest challenges. He pointed out that while he adjusts based on the conditions, Jofra Archer with the new ball is particularly difficult to face. Archer’s express pace and ability to trouble batters with the new ball has made him a tough opponent for Fakhar.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s young pacer Naseem Shah highlighted England’s Jos Buttler as a challenging batter in limited-overs cricket. Naseem acknowledged Buttler’s skill and adaptability, especially in the white-ball format.

These insights come as Rizwan and Naseem are currently on a tour of New Zealand for a three-match ODI series. In the recent match, Pakistan fell short by 73 runs despite an encouraging start in their chase of 345 runs. Rizwan and Naseem featured in the playing XI, but Pakistan’s middle-order collapse after Babar Azam’s 78-run knock led to their defeat.

Rizwan’s respect for Bumrah, and Fakhar’s struggle against Archer, highlights the evolving challenges faced by modern-day cricketers when going up against some of the most lethal fast bowlers in the world.