Hasan Nawaz reveals Rizwan's message following half-century on ODI debut
What's the story
Pakistan's rising cricket star, Hasan Nawaz, has revealed the advice he received from captain Mohammad Rizwan after his stellar performance in the first ODI against the West Indies. Nawaz, who was featuring in his maiden ODI, played a key role in Pakistan's five-wicket victory, scoring an unbeaten 63 off 54 balls. His knock helped Pakistan chase down a target of 281 with seven balls to spare.
Game plan
'Rizwan was telling me to finish the match'
Nawaz, following the game, revealed that he wanted to make it memorable. He said Rizwan kept reminding him to finish the game. "It was my debut match so I was thinking to make it memorable. When me and Rizwan were batting, he was telling me that 'it's your debut, so you have to finish the match,'" Nawaz said after receiving his Player of the Match award.
Past performance
Nawaz draws confidence from PSL performances
Nawaz also drew confidence from his Pakistan Super League (PSL) performances. He said, "I had the confidence from before that in the PSL, I have been finishing matches." The 22-year-old showed great maturity during the match, especially after Rizwan's dismissal in the 38th over. He shared a crucial 104-run stand with Hussain Talat to guide Pakistan to victory.
Teamwork
Nawaz and Talat guide Pakistan to victory
Nawaz's unbeaten innings included three sixes and five fours. He hit a six in the 49th over before driving Shamar Joseph through cover for the winning runs. Talat's steady innings of 41 off 37 balls was also crucial in their match-winning partnership. "The plan was to build a partnership — Talat could target spin, I could handle pace — and it worked perfectly," said Nawaz after his stellar performance.
Captain's commendation
Rizwan lauds match-winners
After the match, Pakistan captain Rizwan praised the match-winners. He said, "Hasan Nawaz and Talat deserve all the credit. The conditions weren't easy, but they handled it brilliantly." The series continues with the second ODI on Sunday, August 10, 2025. It must be noted that Rizwan himself played a 53-run knock to power the run chase.