Hasan Nawaz Smashes Maiden Ton in Pakistan’s Dominant T20 Win Over New Zealand
Pakistan’s opener, Hasan Nawaz, delivered a record-breaking performance on Friday, scoring his maiden century in style to guide his team to a commanding nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20 of their ongoing series. Nawaz’s brilliant knock of 105 not out, which came off just 44 balls, helped Pakistan chase down New Zealand’s total of 204 in just 16 overs, keeping the series alive at 2-1.
This remarkable innings came after Nawaz had struggled in the first two games of the series, where he was dismissed for ducks in both matches — his first appearances in international cricket. However, Nawaz completely turned around his form in this match, demonstrating his potential with a breathtaking array of shots all around the wicket, including audacious ramp shots.
His century was not only the fastest by any Pakistan player in T20 internationals, but it also led to Pakistan’s victory with four overs to spare. Nawaz’s explosive knock featured 10 fours and seven sixes, and he brought up his century in dramatic fashion, hitting back-to-back fours off Kyle Jamieson in the 16th over. His second four in that sequence took him to 100, beating Babar Azam’s previous record for the fastest century by a Pakistan player, which had stood at 50 balls since 2021.
Mohammad Haris, Nawaz’s opening partner, also made a valuable contribution with a quickfire 41 off 20 balls, while Pakistan’s captain, Salman Agha, remained unbeaten on 51 off 31 balls, ensuring the chase was comfortably completed.
Earlier, New Zealand appeared to be in a strong position after Mark Chapman’s blistering 94 off 44 balls, which included 11 fours and four sixes. However, the rest of the New Zealand batsmen struggled to provide substantial support. Captain Michael Bracewell chipped in with 31 runs, but the hosts were ultimately dismissed in their final over. Haris Rauf was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming 3 wickets for 29 runs and dismissing Bracewell in a crucial spell.
With the victory, Pakistan has kept the series alive, and the teams will now head to Mount Maunganui for the fourth match on Sunday, where Pakistan will aim to level the series at 2-2.
