“I Don’t Care”: Mohammad Rizwan Says He Feels No Shame Over English Skills, Prioritises Cricket

April 12, 2025 0 108

‘Pakistan wants cricket, not English’: Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan defended his spoken English, saying he felt no shame and focused only on playing cricket.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan made it clear on Saturday that he feels no embarrassment about his English-speaking skills, stressing that his primary responsibility is to play cricket, not speak English. Speaking ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL), Rizwan addressed the media in Urdu and said he remained confident despite frequent criticism over his language skills.

“I don’t care. I am proud of one thing and that is whatever I say, I say from my heart. I don’t know English. My only regret is that I did not get enough education, but I am not even one per cent ashamed that I can’t speak English despite being the captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” he said.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who will lead Multan Sultans in the upcoming PSL season, said Pakistan expects him to perform on the field and not in English-speaking interviews. “The demand from me is cricket, not English. There is a regret that I did not complete my education, which is why I struggle in speaking English. I tell my juniors to complete their education so that they are able to speak good English,” Rizwan said.

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“At the moment, Pakistan is demanding cricket from me. Pakistan is not demanding English from me. When it does, I will leave cricket and become a professor—but I don’t have that much time,” he added.

Rizwan, like many of his predecessors, has often faced trolling from a section of fans for his language skills during post-match presentations or media interactions. While players usually stay focused on performance, some fans have mocked minor pronunciation errors rather than recognising cricketing achievements.

The 31-year-old faces pressure as both captain and player. After Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy at home, Rizwan was removed as the T20I captain. He later led the ODI team on the tour of New Zealand, but the side suffered a series defeat there as well.