Courtesy: Google
Hasan Nawaz, 22, the Pakistan opening batter, smashed his maiden international hundred, to help the national team defeat New Zealand by nine wickets with 24 balls to spare in the third T20I of the five-match series on Friday, March 21. At the Eden Park in Auckland, in pursuit of the 205-run target, Hasan Nawaz also brought up the fastest T20I hundred in Pakistan cricket history, to ensure that the Men in Green stayed alive in the series with a 1-2 scoreline after three matches.
Earlier, after putting New Zealand into batting first, Salman Agha-led Pakistan cricket team bowled out the hosts for 204 runs in 19.5 overs, which was a par total on a ground with short straight boundaries at Eden Park. Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/29 in his four-over spell, while the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Abbas Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed took two wickets each.
Hasan Nawaz scored maiden T20I hundred in third career outing after two consecutive ducks
While chasing the target, Pakistan openers Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz gave the best possible start to the team, scoring 74 runs for the first wicket in just 5.5 overs. Haris lost his wicket for 41 runs in 24 balls with four fours and three maximums, but then, Nawaz took control of the situation alongside Salman Agha as they shared an unbroken 133-run stand for the second wicket, to take Pakistan over the finishing line for a famous victory in Auckland.
Hasan Nawaz put together an innings of 105 runs in 45 balls with 10 fours and seven sixes after getting two ducks in his first couple of T20Is in his career earlier in the series against New Zealand. He was the pick of the batters among both the teams in the contest, while Agha scored 51 runs in 31 balls with six fours and two maximums, to get the critics off his back somewhat after losing first two matches of the series down under as captain in one-sided manner.
The right-handed opening batter will be hoping to continue on scoring big runs in the remaining two matches, to complete an epic comeback for Pakistan in the T20I series.
