On his One Day International debut against the West Indies, young batter Hassan Nawaz made a memorable entry to the international stage, playing a pivotal role in Pakistan’s victory and earning the Man of the Match award. Speaking after the match, Hassan said his aim was to make the debut unforgettable and to walk away with the top performance honour.
He credited his match-winning innings to the crucial batting partnership with Mohammad Rizwan, revealing that while at the crease, Rizwan told him, “This is your duty, you have to finish the match.”
Hassan explained that the plan was to start cautiously, preserving wickets in the early overs, and then accelerate with big shots towards the end to chase down the target. Despite interruptions from rain and an electrified crowd, both batsmen remained calm and stuck to their strategy.
Drawing on his domestic cricket experience, Hassan emphasised that maintaining the partnership was their top priority. Later, both shifted gears to a more aggressive style, steering the team to victory.
The young batter named Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and other senior players as his role models, saying their style of play is a lesson for him. He praised Rizwan’s “extremely important” role in the match, especially when an early wicket fell, as Rizwan not only boosted his confidence but also stabilised the innings.
Hassan admitted there were some fielding lapses that the opposition capitalised on but maintained that the team’s planning and partnership ultimately secured the win.
