AUCKLAND: Pakistan clinched a dominant nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series at Eden Park on Friday, thanks to a brilliant century by Hassan Nawaz.
The right-handed batter, who made his international debut in the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch, had faced a rough start to his career. In his debut match, Nawaz was dismissed for a duck by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy. He experienced a similar fate in the second game, again being dismissed by Duffy for a duck, making him the sixth batter in history to register two consecutive ducks in their first two international matches.
However, in the third T20I, Nawaz turned the tide in dramatic fashion. He played an explosive knock, scoring the fastest T20I century for Pakistan in just 44 balls. His incredible innings led Pakistan to chase down a target of 205 runs in just 16 overs, securing a crucial win for the team. When Pakistan began their chase, Mohammad Haris took the initiative with a quick-fire 41 off 20 balls, setting the stage for Nawaz’s spectacular performance.
Earlier, New Zealand batted first and set a competitive total of 204, with Mark Chapman leading the charge. Chapman played a scintillating knock, scoring 94 off 44 balls, including 11 fours and four sixes, exploiting the short boundaries of Eden Park. His blistering innings appeared to set New Zealand up for a big score. However, Pakistan’s bowlers fought back towards the end, with Haris Rauf taking three important wickets to limit the hosts' total. Pakistan’s young talent had struggled in the earlier games of the series, including being bowled out for just 91 in the first T20I and losing the second match to New Zealand by five wickets in a rain-affected game. Despite the setbacks, Pakistan’s victory in this third match kept them alive in the series, with New Zealand leading 2-1.
In the post-match ceremony, Hassan Nawaz expressed his relief and gratitude for the support he received from his captain and vice-captain. He revealed that after his disappointing performances in the first two matches, he was feeling disheartened, but the encouragement from his teammates helped him regain confidence. Nawaz credited the backing from captain Shadab Khan and vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan for helping him perform under pressure. He added that once he scored his first run, the pressure was released, and he was able to focus on playing his natural game. The win was a significant boost for Pakistan, and with the series now at 1-2, they have a chance to level the series in the upcoming matches.
