Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan had to face another embarrassing moment in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 season on Monday as he was forced to retire out mid-innings during Melbourne Renegades’ clash against Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Showground Stadium.
Rizwan’s difficult stint in the BBL went from bad to worse when Renegades captain Will Sutherland made the rare and ruthless call to pull the senior Pakistan star off the field in a bid to lift the scoring rate during the death overs.
WATCH: Mohammad Rizwan Subbed Off After Another Poor BBL Innings
Muhammad Rizwan has been retired out by the Melbourne Renegades 👀 #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/AuTGoTIHqb
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 12, 2026
After being sent in to bat by Sydney Thunder on a traditionally high-scoring surface, Melbourne Renegades made a strong start, reaching 83/2 in 9.1 overs.
Rizwan walked in at No. 4 with the responsibility of maintaining momentum and pushing the total beyond the 180-run mark.
However, the 33-year-old struggled to find fluency at the crease. At a stage when quick runs were crucial, Rizwan managed only 26 off 23 balls, striking just two fours and one six, before being retired out in the 17th over.
The decision came moments after his partner Hassan Khan was dropped by Cameron Bancroft at long-on.
Captain Sutherland immediately signalled Rizwan to walk back, opting for a more aggressive approach in the final overs.
Despite the bold move, the Renegades failed to capitalise, adding just 16 more runs after Rizwan’s exit and finishing on 170/8.
Ironically, Sutherland himself was dismissed dramatically soon after. A straight drive from Hassan Khan off Daniel Sams flicked the bowler’s fingers and ran out the Renegades skipper for 1 off 1 ball.
Mohammad Rizwan’s Poor Run in the BBL
Rizwan had joined the Melbourne Renegades hoping to revive his form and push for a return to Pakistan’s T20I setup ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, having last played a T20I in December 2024. Instead, the tournament has turned into a nightmare.
In eight innings, Rizwan has scored just 167 runs at a strike rate of 101.82, with a highest score of 41 off 38 balls against Melbourne Stars. The Renegades, too, have struggled, winning only three of their seven matches and sitting seventh on the points table with six points.
What Is ‘Retired Out’ in Cricket?
A batter is retired out when they voluntarily leave the field of play without the umpire’s permission for reasons other than injury or illness. Once retired out, a batter cannot resume their innings unless the opposition captain grants permission.
Although no bowler is credited with the wicket, the batter is marked as ‘retired out’ in the scorebook, and it is considered a dismissal for statistical purposes, including batting average calculations.
‘Retired Out’ vs ‘Retired Hurt’: What’s the Difference?
‘Retired out’ is different from ‘retired hurt’. When a batter retires hurt due to injury or illness, they are allowed to return to the crease later in the innings. In contrast, a retired-out batter cannot come back without consent from the opposition captain.
While retiring hurt is usually unavoidable, retiring out is a tactical decision, often used in T20 cricket to boost the run rate when a batter struggles to score quickly.
A Tactical Move with Growing Prevalence in T20s
The ‘retired out’ rule has gained prominence in modern T20 cricket, where rapid scoring is often the difference between winning and losing. Teams increasingly use it as a strategic tool, even though it can be humiliating for the player involved as seen in Rizwan’s case.
Though rare, batters have also retired out in longer formats. The first instances in Test cricket occurred during the Asian Test Championship in 2001.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
