Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan has become the first overseas batsman to be retired out in the history of the Big Bash League (BBL). Rizwan, playing for Melbourne Renegades against Sydney Thunder, had struggled his way to 26 in 23 balls before being called back by captain Will Sutherland. The Renegades went on to lose the match by four wickets via the DLS method. Overall, Rizwan is only the third batsman in BBL history to be retired out without an injury.
Rizwan had been dropped by Cameron Bancroft at long-on just before being called back. He had two fours and a six in his innings. This was his first six in the BBL and it took him eight innings and 152 balls to do it. Rizwan like his Pakistan teammate Babar Azam, hasn’t had the greatest of campaigns in the BBL this season. In the eight matches that he has played, Rizwan has scored just 167 runs at a strike rate of 101.82 and average of 20.87. Babar, on the other hand, has scored 154 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 104.05 and average of 25.66. Both Rizwan and Babar are making their debut in the BBL this season.
The signal comes from Sutherland to retire Rizwan out!
Rizwan’s innings ends with a strike rate of 113; 26 from 23 balls.#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/e4kQNvwv9W
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 12, 2026
The jury is out on whether the tactic of pulling Rizwan out bore fruit as Renegades only went on to make 16 more runs in the remaining two overs. Thunder’s target of 171 was reduced to 140 from 16 overs after a brief rain break when Thunder were 80 for 3 in 11 overs. They then had a collapse of sorts and were in deep trouble at 95 for 6 in the 13th.
However, Nic Maddison, who had himself been retired out by Thunder in their recent match against Hobart Hurricanes, and Chris Green made the most of some loose bowling in the death overs by Renegades to pull their side over the line.
