Hasan Nawaz T20 journey: Record ducks amidst promising talent

LAHORE: Hasan Nawaz, an emerging opener for the Pakistan national men’s cricket team, garnered attention this time for the wrong reasons – collecting ducks like a kid collecting fidget spinners.

In the final match of the recently concluded series against New Zealand, the Pakistani batter was dismissed without scoring a single run.

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This marks his third instance of a duck throughout the series!

Making his international debut in the first match against the Black Caps on March 16, Nawaz’s entry into international cricket was marred by early setbacks as he failed to register any runs in his initial two outings.

However, he rebounded spectacularly in the third T20 international, where he scored a remarkable century off just 44 balls, setting a record as the fastest century by a Pakistani in T20Is.

Despite his standout performance, the 22-year-old struggled to replicate his success in subsequent matches. In his fourth T20I, Hasan Nawaz managed only a single run before being dismissed.

And in the series finale, he was out for a duck in the second over, bowled by Jacob Duffy.

The series of low scores has resulted in Hasan Nawaz becoming the Pakistani opener with the highest number of ducks in a T20I series.

The Pakistan vs New Zealand (PAK vs NZ) T20I series concluded with the Kiwis securing an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan. The Oceania team won the series 4-1.

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In the context of the series, Nawaz’s performance drew attention by the challenges faced by young cricketers in maintaining consistency at the international level. The pressure of performing on such a prominent stage can sometimes make the young players buckle, leading to fluctuations in form.