India, Jan. 12 -- Mohammad Rizwan's first Big Bash League stint produced one of the most uncomfortable images of the season on Monday night: a set batter walking off mid-innings, not injured, but effectively substituted because his strike-rate was deemed too slow.

Playing for the Melbourne Renegades against the Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Showground Stadium, Rizwan was retired out on 26 off 23 balls in the 18th over of the Renegades' innings. The call came with the visitors trying to squeeze a bigger finish out of the last 12 deliveries, and with the middle order already exposed after a shaky start that left them 90 for 4 in the 11th over.

Mohammad Rizwan helped stabilise the innings and keep the Renegades on course for a competitive t...