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TAROUBA: Pakistan middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz expressed delight after making his debut match a memorable one, guiding his side to victory in the first ODI against the West Indies on Friday.
The 22-year-old scored an unbeaten 63 off 54 balls to steer Pakistan to a five-wicket win at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Speaking in a video message released by the PCB after the match, Hasan revealed he had set himself the goal of marking his debut with a match-winning performance.
“This was my debut match, and I had said to myself that I would make it memorable by becoming Player of the Match,” Hasan said.
“Rizwan told me before the game, ‘It’s your debut match, you have to finish it.’ Even when he was walking back after getting out, he reminded me again to finish the job.”
Hasan Nawaz credited his Pakistan Super League (PSL) experience for giving him the composure to see the game through.
“I was confident in my hitting, just like I’ve finished matches in the PSL. I’ve also played on challenging pitches in domestic cricket, so I believed I could do it here as well,” he said.
The debutant also spoke about the conditions in Tarouba, noting that rain had made the surface tricky.
“Because of the rain, the ball was gripping, so I took some time. Hussain Talat and I planned that if we batted till the end, we could finish the match comfortably,” he stated.
“The plan was to build a partnership because both of us can hit big shots.”
Hasan also praised the influence of senior teammates.
“I learn a lot from Babar Azam, Rizwan, and Salman Ali Agha,” he said. “Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah bowled really well. We did have some fielding lapses, which West Indies took advantage of.”
Pakistan lead the three-match ODI series 1-0, with the second game scheduled for August 10 at the same venue.
READ: Debutant Hasan Nawaz sparks Pakistan to victory over West Indies
