Saud Shakeel: “To adapt to conditions and perform under pressure at this age shows he’s special”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan middle order batsman Saud Shakeel called big-hitter Hasan Nawaz “special” due to his ability to “adapt to conditions and perform under pressure”.
He added what makes the Islamabad-born batsman even more impressive is the fact that he is just 23 years old.
Shakeel’s praise comes after he played alongside Nawaz 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 for the Gladiators, which included a hundred and three half-centuries, at an average of 57 and a strike-rate of 162.19.
“To adapt to conditions and perform under pressure at this age shows he’s special,” Shakeel was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Following the PSL, Nawaz was in action for Pakistan in their three-match T20I series against Bangladesh and amassed 121 runs at an average of 60.50 and a strike-rate of 198.36.
He didn’t have quite as much success during Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh as he ended up with 33 runs in three T20Is at an average of 11 and a strike-rate of 122.22.
Nawaz rebounded during the white-ball tour of the West Indies as he made 79 runs in three T20Is at an average of 26.33 and a strike-rate of 164.58.
He then proceeded to make his ODI debut against the West Indies and accumulated 112 runs in three games, which included a career-best knock of 63 not out, at an average of 112.
After their tour of the West Indies, Pakistan faced the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in a T20I tri-series in Sharjah, which they won.
In the five matches he played, Nawaz struck 93 runs, which included a top score of 56, at an average of 18.60 and a strike-rate of 143.07.
The men in green are now involved in the 2025 Asia Cup, which is being held in the UAE.
In three games, Nawaz has scored 17 runs at an average of 5.66 and a strike-rate of 65.38.
Pakistan began with a 93-run win over Oman before losing to India by seven wickets.
They got their campaign back on track with a 41-run win over the UAE.
Next up for Pakistan will be another clash against India on September 21 in Dubai.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: 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, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem