Tag: Mohammad Nawaz

SHARJAH: Pakistan left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz on Sunday entered an elite list after taking a hat-trick in the final of the tri-series against Afghanistan here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Set 142, Afghanistan were reeling in the powerplay, courtesy of Mohammad Nawaz’s brilliant bowling spell. He took five for just 19 runs in his quota of four overs.

Nawaz came into the bowling attack in the last over of the powerplay and started to trouble Afghanistan batters.

The left-armer removed Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai on successive balls, which turned the match on its head.

On the first ball of his next over, he dismissed Ibrahim Zadran, who was stumped to complete his hat-trick.

With this feat, he became the third Pakistani player to take a hat-trick in the T20I format.

Hat-tricks for Pakistan in T20Is 

Faheem Ashraf against Sri Lanka in 2017

Mohammad Hasnain against Sri Lanka in 2019

Mohammad Nawaz against Afghanistan 2025

After opting to bat, Pakistan put on a shambolic batting display and could only manage to score 141 for 8 in their 20 overs.

Mohammad Nawaz was crucial with the bat as well, scoring a vital 25 off 21 balls, striking two sixes.

At the time of filing this story, Afghanistan were 64-9 in 14.3 overs with 78 runs more required to win.

Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz

READ: Pakistan sets Afghanistan 142 to win in tri-series final

LAUDERHILL: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has named former India stalwart Yuvraj Singh as his favourite all-rounder.

Pakistan clinched the series 2-1 against West Indies after sealing a 13-run win in the final T20I at Central Broward Regional Park.

Chasing a daunting 190-run target, West Indies fell 13 runs short despite Sherfane Rutherford’s and Alick Athanaze’s half-centuries.

For Pakistan, it was an all-round bowling effort with each of the front-line bowlers scalping one wicket each.

Nawaz, who played a significant role in Pakistan’s triumph, was named as the Player of the Series. The left-hander scalped seven wickets in three matches to earn this award.

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“My favourite all-rounder has always been Yuvraj Singh, and of course Shahid bhai (Afridi) — I grew up watching both of them a lot,” Nawaz revealed.

Mohammad Nawaz mentioned his bowling plan amid favorable spin conditions.

“When you get these kinds of conditions, the plans become simpler. The pitch favoured spinners today — it was just about hitting the right areas,” he said.

The 31-year-old reflected on bowling with the ball, revealing that he was very cautious with his bowling.

“I’ve bowled with the new ball before in my career. Caribbean players are naturally strong, so I had to be very cautious with my line and length, Nawaz elaborated.

“These days, if you stick to just one line and length, batters can predict you easily so it’s all about outsmarting them,” he concluded.

READ: Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf reflect on comebacks after T20I series win over West Indies

LAUDERHILL: Saim Ayub put in a solid all-round performance and Mohammad Nawaz delivered a brilliant spell as Pakistan sealed a 14-run win over West Indies in the first T20I at the Central Broward Regional Park on Thursday.

Defending 179, Pakistan restricted the hosts to 164-7 despite a steady start by the openers. Johnson Charles and Jewel Andrew stitched a 72-run partnership off 67 balls, but their cautious approach allowed the asking rate to balloon.

Then Nawaz came to bowl the 12th over, which was his final over, and turned the game on its head.

The left-arm spinner struck thrice in six balls, removing Andrew (35 off 33), Charles (35 off 36), and the promoted Gudakesh Motie, who bagged a golden duck.

Things went further south when Saim Ayub chipped in with the ball, removing captain Shai Hope (2) and Sherfane Rutherford (13) in successive overs.

The hosts collapsed to 114-7 in 17 overs, needing 65 off the last 18 balls.

Jason Holder (30* off 12) and Shamar Joseph (21* off 12) did swing hard at the end, but the damage had already been done.

Pakistan walked away with a comfortable 14-run win to go 1-0 up in the series against the West Indies.

Mohammad Nawaz finished with 3-23, while Saim grabbed 2-20. Shaheen Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem also chipped in with one wicket each.

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Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Pakistan put up 178-6 in their 20 overs against the West Indies, a total built largely on Saim’s classy knock.

The left-hander struck his second T20I fifty, scoring a fluent 57 off 38 with five fours and two sixes.

His 81-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman (28 off 24) laid the foundation after Sahibzada Farhan (14) fell early to a sharp Shamar Joseph delivery.

Saim Ayub brought up his fifty in style before being removed by Holder in the 12th over. Fakhar soon followed, and the innings briefly stuttered.

Hassan Nawaz added a quick 24 off 18, while Faheem Ashraf (16 off 9) and skipper Salman Ali Agha (11* off 7) ensured a strong finish.

For the West Indies, Joseph impressed with 3-30, while Holder, Hosein, and Shepherd claimed one wicket each.

The second T20I between Pakistan and the West Indies will be played at the same venue on 3 August.

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KARACHI: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has explained the reason behind the inclusion of all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz for the forthcoming three-match series against Bangladesh.

While addressing the media, Salman Agha referred to Nawaz’s inclusion as a like-for-like replacement for Shadab Khan, who is out of the team due to shoulder surgery.

At the start of the month, Shadab Khan underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder in the United Kingdom (UK). As a result, Shadab Khan was ruled out of Pakistan’s upcoming white-ball assignments against Bangladesh and the West Indies.

“Nawaz was selected because of Shadab’s injury. Performance goes up and down, that’s why it is important to analyse the ability of a player,” Salman Agha explained.

It is noteworthy to mention that Mohammad Nawaz’s last T20I appearance for Pakistan came against New Zealand in January 2024. The 31-year-old was under scrutiny due to his lackluster run in both domestic and international cricket.

The skipper also spoke about selection and the team’s strategic planning for the forthcoming fixtures.

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“There’s no shortage of talent in Pakistan. PSL has brought several new faces to the fore. No one is being ignored. Irfan Khan Niazi will lead the Shaheens on the Darwin tour,” he said.

“We’ve trained with conditions in the USA, Bangladesh, and the West Indies in mind. Even the pitches at the National Stadium were tailored with the tour in perspective. We have plenty of spin options available as well,” he disclosed.

Salman Agha remained optimistic about Bangladesh despite their impressive home record, noting that his goal is to take Pakistan cricket ahead.

“Bangladesh is a tough side at home. They’ve beaten strong teams in their conditions. We’ve prepared accordingly and are ready for the challenge. I enjoy taking challenges. Whether I’m captain or not, the goal is to improve Pakistan cricket,” Salman Agha concluded.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh series:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim

READ: Salman Ali Agha opens up on Babar, Shaheen, Rizwan inclusion in T20I squad

Pakistan’s explosive opening batter Fakhar Zaman opened up about some entertaining insights into his teammates and provided a light-hearted glimpse into team dynamics.

Fakhar, known for his aggressive stroke play, has revealed some interesting insights about Pakistan team players in a candid conversation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

He expressed his intention and named the teammate for whom he would create a YouTube channel when asked about setting up a channel for a teammate.

“I will make a YouTube channel for him and will also write a book on Mohammad Nawaz,” he said when asked if he had to make a YouTube channel of any teammate.

The left-handed batter also revealed the name of a teammate who sleeps the most. “Mohammad Nawaz sleeps the most, and he does not wake up,” he said with a smile on his face.

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When asked which player prioritizes food  over practice, Fakhar replied,” Shadab Khan pays more attention to food.”

Fakhar Zaman provided an interesting response when asked which player’s shoes he would like to fit into.

“There are a lot of players and I cannot tell here because I want to know what they keep doing, but I will name Shadab Khan,” he said in a light-hearted manner.

The batter, originally from Mardan, also revealed the names of the toughest bowlers he had faced.

“In my opinion, the Australian bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are really skillful. Pat Cummins does so many variations that it’s difficult to play him, so I enjoy playing them,” he explained.

At last, the 35-year-old stated that if he were to become a coach for one day, he would remove the fear of failure from players’ minds.

READ: Ticket prices for Bangladesh-Pakistan T20I series unveiled

KARACHI: Karachi Kings’ assistant coach Ravi Bopara on Sunday, threw his weight behind experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz to “come good” for the side in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9, terming him “credit in the bank”.

Bopara addressed the post-match press conference after Karachi Kings’ 20-run defeat against leaders Multan Sultans at the iconic National Bank Stadium and opened up on the ongoing rough patch of Nawaz.

“Nawaz has been playing T20 cricket for many many years, playing the PSL from the day it started,” said Bopara.

“So, he’s built, he’s credit in the bank. Someone like him, who’s played international cricket, you got to give them a run, you can’t just drop them after four to five games. They’ve got to have a long run. They deserve to have a long run when they’ve played [so] much cricket.

“Lower averages say that people at that level at international cricket, they come good at some stage. And, you got to back them long enough to give them a chance to get to that stage.”

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Ravi Bopara further commented on the revamped Karachi Kings’ squad and the rebuilding process, the former champions started since the start of this year’s edition and shared that he was impressed with some of the young players like Muhammad Irfan Khan.

“I’ve been impressed with some of the young guys like [Irfan Khan] Niazi. He’s come such a long way from where he was last year,” Bopara stated.

“The first time I saw him was last year and where he is today, is a big difference. He’s growing in confidence. I personally feel that he’s probably the best fielder in Pakistan as well and he showed it in this competition how good he is.

“He saves us easily seven to 10 or even more runs in every innings. And, his batting is really coming on and he’s becoming more and more powerful and confident.

“He’s certainly the future for Karachi Kings and some of the young bowlers coming through as well. Unfortunately, they haven’t had a chance to play that much. We can’t fit them in at the moment but hopefully, during the competition, you may see some of the new guys come through.”

READ: Michael Clarke gears up for commentary stint in PSL 9

KARACHI: All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz expressed his desire to win the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with his new team, Karachi Kings, in the upcoming ninth edition of the franchise league.

Nawaz joined Karachi Kings as their second pick in the Platinum category after he was released by Quetta Gladiators ahead of the PSL 9 Draft.

While talking to the media on the sidelines of the Karachi King’s training session here, Nawaz opened up about the team environment at his new home.

“This is a new experience with a new team. The overall environment is amazing and we are hoping to have a good season ahead,” said the all-rounder.

The 29-year-old responded to a question regarding the goals he has set to accomplish in the upcoming tournament.

“My first goal is to help Karachi Kings qualify for the playoffs and then win the tournament. As far as personal goals are concerned, I will try my best to claim the player of the tournament award,” Mohammad Nawaz reflected.

“It is an important season for the team as the last few seasons did not go well, which resulted in some major changes this time around. I will try to give impactful performance and play my role in team’s victory.”

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Nawaz also commented on his preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) later this year.

“I am working on my batting and bowling skills, but World Cup is few months away. Right now, I am focusing on the PSL and aiming to perform at my best as an all-rounder for Karachi Kings,” he concluded.

Mohammad Nawaz has acknowledged his crucial role in Karachi Kings and stated that he will try to finish the games for his team, both with the bat and the ball.

Notably, he is the sixth leading wicket-taker in tournament history with 70 scalps in 76 appearances. His tally of 70 wickets is the highest by a left-arm spinner.

He has also scored 728 runs in the tournament in just 58 innings.

READ: Rilee Rossouw named Quetta Gladiators’ captain for PSL 9

LAHORE: Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz replaced injured Noman Ali for the remainder of the Test series against Australia, sources claimed.

According to the details, the chair of the Pakistan Men’s Selection Committee Wahab Riaz approved Mohammad Nawaz as Noman Ali’s replacement for the series remainder.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that left-arm spinner Noman was ruled out of the series due to acute appendicitis.

“Noman Ali has been ruled out of the Test series against Australia due to acute appendicitis,” stated PCB.

“Noman Ali complained of sudden and severe abdominal pain yesterday, leading to examinations and scans in emergency that confirmed a diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

“On Surgeon advice; he underwent Laparoscopic Appendectomy today in the morning. Post-surgery he is stable and doing fine. He will be discharged later this afternoon,” PCB concluded.

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Earlier today, the two-day practice match between Pakistan and Victoria XI ended in a draw.

The previous day saw Pakistan declare their first innings at 323-8, helped by half-centuries by Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha.

In reply to Pakistan’s 323, Victoria XI posted 272-4 before declaring.

Pakistan then posted 57-3 in their second innings, when stumps were called.

Following their practice match against Victoria XI, Pakistan will enjoy a rest day before resuming their training at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on December 25.

Meanwhile, the Australia team will report to Melbourne on December 23 and partake in the training session for two days before kicking off the Boxing Day Test on December 26.

Pakistan Test squad

Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sajid Khan.

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SHARJAH: All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has replaced Faheem Ashraf in Pakistan’s playing XI for the second T20I against Afghanistan on Sunday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Taking to Twitter, Pakistan revealed the playing lineup for the second of the three T20Is, making just one change from the first match which the Green Shirts lost by six wickets.

Our XI for the second #AFGvPAK T20I 💪#BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/1mrew39jSY

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 26, 2023

On Friday, Afghanistan bowlers wreaked havoc to restrict Pakistan to a meagre 92/9 before Mohammad Nabi’s sensible 38-run knock powered the hosts to their maiden victory over Pakistan in the first T20I.

Playing XI: Shadab Khan (c), Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Tayyab Tahir, Azam Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan, Ihsanullah.

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