Ahmed Shehzad calls Hasan Nawaz’s century as tight slap to critics

Pakistan’s opening batter Ahmed Shehzad has praised young batter Hasan Nawaz for his record-breaking century in the third T20I against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday. After a tough start to the series, where he was dismissed for ducks in the first two matches, Nawaz made an incredible comeback with a blistering, unbeaten 44-ball century that guided Pakistan to a dominant nine-wicket victory.

Nawaz's remarkable performance kept Pakistan’s hopes alive in the five-match series, drawing praise from fans and cricketing experts alike. Among those who congratulated Nawaz was Ahmed Shehzad, who took to social media to celebrate his achievement. Shehzad welcomed Nawaz into the exclusive club of Pakistani batters who have scored a T20I century, highlighting his impressive performance.

In his post, Shehzad also took a subtle dig at those who had questioned Pakistan's ability to replace its senior players, saying, “Where are those who claim there’s no talent to replace seniors in Pakistan?” 

He emphasized that Hasan’s achievement was a strong response to such doubts, highlighting the emerging talent in the country and describing Nawaz's century as a "tight slap" to the critics, showcasing the potential of Pakistan's young players.

New Zealand, batting first, set a target of 205, with Mark Chapman’s explosive 94-run knock leading the way. However, Pakistan’s response was nothing short of spectacular. They chased down the target with 24 balls to spare, with Nawaz leading the charge. His century, off just 44 balls, broke Babar Azam’s previous record of a 49-ball century against South Africa in 2021, making him Pakistan's fastest centurion in T20I history.

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

The successful chase was built on an unbeaten 133-run partnership between Nawaz and captain Salman Ali Agha for the second wicket. Nawaz scored an explosive 105*, while Agha contributed with a solid 51* off 31 balls, leading Pakistan to one of their most memorable victories.

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

With this emphatic victory, Pakistan has not only stayed in the hunt for the series but also displayed their strong batting depth and resilience, offering hope for a thrilling finish to the five-match series.