Youngster Hasan Nawaz truly established himself as the future of the Pakistan cricket team during his debut ODI against the West Indies, guiding his team to a five-wicket win over the hosts at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Making his One Day International debut at just 22 after establishing himself in the T20I setup, the middle-order batter played with a maturity beyond his years, scoring a match-winning 63* off 54 balls on a surface where even the most experienced batters struggled. His innings, laced with five fours and three sixes, helped him enter the history books as only the 14th Pakistani to score fifty or more on ODI debut. Abid Ali was the last batter to achieve this feat, with a century against Australia in 2019.
Hasan Nawaz was also awarded man of the match honours for his efforts, joining a select list of Pakistani’s to win the award in their debut match.
Chasing 281, Pakistan’s innings wobbled early when Saim Ayub fell for five in the third over to Jayden Seales. Abdullah Shafique (29) and Babar Azam (47) steadied the chase before skipper Mohammad Rizwan added his 16th ODI half-century. Rizwan’s dismissal for 53 to Shamar Joseph left Pakistan precariously placed at 180-5.
That’s when debutant Hasan Nawaz found an able ally in Hussain Talat. The duo calmly took control, adding an unbeaten 104-run stand for the sixth wicket to seal victory with seven balls to spare. Talat contributed a valuable 41* off 37 deliveries, striking four boundaries and a six.
Hasan Nawaz’s debut heroics have helped Pakistan take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second ODI set for Sunday — a contest the West Indies must win to stay alive.
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