Ahmed Shehzad hails Hasan Nawaz’s century as a ‘tight slap’ to critics

Opening batter Ahmed Shehzad praised young batter Hasan Nawaz for his record-setting century in the third T20I against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday.

After a rough start with two consecutive ducks in the series, Hasan Nawaz staged an incredible comeback, smashing an unbeaten 44-ball century to guide Pakistan to a nine-wicket victory, keeping their hopes alive in the five-match series.

His outstanding performance drew widespread acclaim from the cricketing community. Among those who applauded him was Ahmed Shehzad, who took to social media platform X to celebrate Hasan Nawaz’s achievement and welcome him to the elite club of Pakistani batters with a T20I hundred.

The right-handed batter also took a subtle dig at critics who questioned Pakistan’s talent pipeline, stating, “Where are those who claim there’s no talent to replace seniors in Pakistan?”

He referred to Hasan Nawaz’s innings as a strong rebuttal to such doubts, emphasizing the emerging talent in the country.

“Where are those who say there’s no talent to replace Pakistan’s senior players?” he questioned.

He described Hasan Nawaz’s achievement as a “tight slap” from the country’s emerging talent, highlighting the potential that exists.

Batting first, New Zealand posted a challenging total of 204 all out, propelled by Mark Chapman’s explosive 94-run knock.

In response, Pakistan stunned the hosts with a dominant chase, reaching the target with 24 balls to spare. 

Hasan Nawaz’s blistering century surpassed Babar Azam’s previous record of a 49-ball hundred against South Africa in 2021, making him Pakistan’s fastest centurion in T20Is.

Fastest T20I Centuries for Pakistan:

• 44 balls – Hasan Nawaz vs New Zealand, Auckland, 2025
• 49 balls – Babar Azam vs South Africa, Centurion, 2021
• 58 balls – Babar Azam vs New Zealand, Lahore, 2023
• 58 balls – Ahmed Shehzad vs Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2014
• 62 balls – Babar Azam vs England, Karachi, 2022
• 63 balls – Mohammad Rizwan vs South Africa, Lahore, 2021

Skipper Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Nawaz formed an unbeaten 133-run stand for the second wicket, steering Pakistan to one of their most memorable victories.

The match also set a new record for the highest aggregate in a T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand, with a combined total of 411 runs.

With this emphatic win, Pakistan remains in contention in the series, showcasing their batting depth and resilience.