Saud Shakeel: “The performances of players like Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay are very encouraging signs for Pakistan cricket. Both are talented players who have the potential to represent Pakistan at the international level in the near future”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan middle order batsman Saud Shakeel believes the batting duo of Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay can represent the national team in the near future.
Nawaz is already playing T20Is and has showcased his talent by scoring a century and a fifty in 12 matches.
As for Nafay, he has yet to make his international debut.
Shakeel said he saw “encouraging signs” from both batsmen when he played alongside them while captaining the Quetta Gladiators in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Nawaz was the third-highest run-scorer in PSL 10 with 399 runs in 12 matches, which included a hundred and three half-centuries, at an average of 57 and a strike-rate of 162.19.
As for Nafay, he finished with 52 runs in two games, which included a top score of 51, at an average of 26 and a strike-rate of 173.33.
“The performances of players like Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay are very encouraging signs for Pakistan cricket. Both are talented players who have the potential to represent Pakistan at the international level in the near future,” Shakeel was quoted as saying by A Sports.
After PSL 10, Nawaz featured in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh and made 121 runs at an average of 60.50 and a strike-rate of 198.36.
The 22-year-old from Islamabad then toured Bangladesh with the men in green and hit 33 runs in three T20Is at an average of 11 and a strike-rate of 122.22.
Pakistan are now touring the West Indies for three ODIs and three T20Is, with Nawaz having been included in both squads, indicating that an ODI debut may be imminent.
In the 1st T20I, he made 24 runs as the men in green triumphed by 14 runs.
The 2nd T20I will be held on August 3 in Lauderhill.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
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