In just his third international match, Hasan Nawaz put on a breathtaking display, dismantling the opposition bowlers. After failing to score in his first two T20Is, Nawaz made a stunning comeback, smashing a record-breaking century against New Zealand. His explosive innings powered Pakistan to a dominant victory while chasing a daunting 200-plus target.
Pakistan’s Historic Chase in Auckland
On Friday, in the third T20I at Auckland, Pakistan crushed New Zealand by 9 wickets. Hasan Nawaz’s brutal assault helped Pakistan chase down 204 with 24 balls to spare, marking the fastest successful chase of 200 or more in T20I history. Previously, South Africa held the record when they chased 206 against West Indies in 2007 with 14 balls remaining.
After losing the first two matches, Pakistan was under immense pressure to keep the series alive. And they delivered in style.
Hasan Nawaz’s Redemption Story
The 22-year-old Hasan Nawaz made his international debut earlier in the series but struggled in his first two outings. However, he turned things around spectacularly in a high-pressure run chase. He smashed 105* off just 45 balls, including 7 sixes and 10 fours. His century came off 44 balls, making it the fastest T20I hundred for Pakistan, breaking Babar Azam’s 49-ball record from 2021.
Contributions from Haris and Salman
Mohammad Haris provided Pakistan with a fiery start, scoring 41 off 20 balls with 3 sixes and 4 fours. Captain Salman Ali Agha also played a key role, remaining unbeaten on 51 off 31 balls with 2 sixes and 6 fours.
Mark Chapman’s Lone Fight for New Zealand
Batting first after losing the toss, New Zealand lost Finn Allen early. Tom Seifert showed promise with a quick 19 off 9 balls, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Mark Chapman was the standout performer, smashing 94 off 44 balls with 4 sixes and 11 fours. Unfortunately, he fell just 6 runs short of a well-deserved century.
How Pakistan’s Chase Unfolded
Haris set the tone by smashing Kyle Jamieson for two sixes in the first over. He continued his aggressive approach, helping Pakistan reach 74 for no loss in the powerplay before getting dismissed.
Nawaz, who had a slow start with 7 runs off 7 balls, accelerated rapidly. He took on Jamieson for a four and a six, dispatched Michael Bracewell into the stands, and reached his fifty in just 26 balls with a six off Jimmy Neesham.
He further tore apart Ben Sears with a sequence of four, six, and four. Salman also joined the carnage, hammering three consecutive boundaries off Ish Sodhi. Nawaz brought up his hundred with back-to-back fours off Jamieson and sealed the victory for Pakistan in the same over.
Series Status and Next Match
With this win, Pakistan kept the series alive, trailing 2-1 in the five-match series. The fourth T20I is scheduled for Sunday.
Match Summary
New Zealand – 204 all out in 19.5 overs
- Mark Chapman – 94 (44)
- Tom Seifert – 19 (9)
- Michael Bracewell – 31 (17)
- Haris Rauf – 3/29 (4)
- Shaheen Afridi – 2/36 (4)
Pakistan – 207/1 in 16 overs
- Hasan Nawaz – 105* (45)
- Mohammad Haris – 41 (20)
- Salman Ali Agha – 51* (31)
- Jacob Duffy – 1/37 (3)
Result: Pakistan won by 9 wickets
Player of the Match: Hasan Nawaz
Series: New Zealand leads 2-1 in the 5-match series
