"He is not focusing on that because average players look at average"- Mohammad Rizwan points to Virat Kohli to highlight 'team first' attitude

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan pointed to Indian superstar Virat Kohli for highlighting the importance of placing team success over individual numbers.

Despite boasting sparkling numbers of over 26,700 runs in international cricket, Kohli's hallmark has been his ability to win matches for India. It is evidenced by the 35-year-old averaging over 66 and scoring 65 percent of his runs in Indian victories across formats.

Speaking to Cricbuzz on the sidelines of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Rizwan detailed his adjustment to different roles in ODIs and T20Is.

"Firstly the teams that you are representing keep that [role] in front and if you think of yourself in that case... like players who think like let me save myself, he won't go far. Those players who look at averages are average players. If someone is performing it will be there in the stats for people to see, like say India's Virat Kohli, he is getting his average higher but he is not focusing on that because average players looks at average and big players will look at the team and the situation and my focus remains on what is the requirement of the team," said Rizwan.

"The team says Rizwan looks at the board and plays accordingly. I maintain the same thing in my own life too but it is not easy. In T20 playing the new ball and in ODI go after 25 overs when the ball is a bit old that is not easy and it is a mind game," he added.

Despite featuring in 74 ODIs and 90 T20Is, Rizwan has predominantly batted in the middle order in the 50-over format and opened in the latter.

---

A look at Mohammad Rizwan's white-ball record

New Zealand v Pakistan - Men's T20 Game 4

Mohammad Rizwan debuted for Pakistan in both white-ball formats in 2015 and has become a vital cog for the Men in Green over the last few years.

The 31-year-old boasts a sensational T20I batting record, scoring almost 3,000 runs at an average of 48.86 and a strike rate of 127.55, including a century and 26 half-centuries. Rizwan has opened the batting for Pakistan in the shortest format in 63 of his 78 innings, averaging over 52.

However, when it comes to ODIs, he has batted in the middle order throughout his career.

In 74 ODIs, Rizwan has scored over 2,000 runs at an average of 40.15 and a strike rate of 89.80 with three centuries and 13 half-centuries to his name. In his 67 batting stints, 37 has come at No. 4, while the other 30 have been at Nos. 5 to 7.

Yet, Rizwan has finally made the No. 4 position in the Pakistan ODI side his own with an excellent average of 48.50.