Hasan Nawaz smashes Pakistan’s fastest T20I century in a historic run chase
AUCKLAND: Hasan Nawaz’s blistering 44-ball century powered Pakistan to a commanding nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third T20I at Eden Park on Friday, successfully chasing down a daunting 205-run target and shattering multiple records in the process.
Batting first in the high-stakes encounter, Mark Chapman’s explosive 94-run knock propelled the hosts to a formidable total of 204 all out, setting Pakistan a stiff challenge to keep the series alive.
In response, Pakistan stunned the home side with an emphatic chase, reaching the target with 24 balls to spare, courtesy of Hasan Nawaz’s breathtaking century.
The right-handed opener, who had a rough start to his T20I career with two consecutive ducks, made a sensational comeback by smashing a 44-ball hundred—the fastest by a Pakistani batter in T20Is.
He surpassed Babar Azam’s 49-ball century against South Africa in 2021, which previously held the record for Pakistan’s fastest ton in the format.
Fastest T20I Centuries for Pakistan:
- 44 balls – Hasan Nawaz vs New Zealand, Auckland, 2025
- 49 balls – Babar Azam vs South Africa, Centurion, 2021
- 58 balls – Babar Azam vs New Zealand, Lahore, 2023
- 58 balls – Ahmed Shehzad vs Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2014
- 62 balls – Babar Azam vs England, Karachi, 2022
- 63 balls – Mohammad Rizwan vs South Africa, Lahore, 2021
Hasan Nawaz, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris, laid a solid foundation with a brisk 74-run opening partnership. Haris blazed his way to 41 off just 20 balls before falling to Jacob Duffy on the final delivery of the powerplay.
Pakistan, undeterred by the early breakthrough, stormed to their highest-ever powerplay total (75/1) and registered their highest 10-over score in T20Is (124/1).
Skipper Salman Ali Agha then joined Hasan Nawaz at the crease, and the duo stitched together an unbeaten 133-run stand for the second wicket, steering Pakistan to a remarkable win—marking their second-highest successful chase in T20I history.
Additionally, the match saw a combined total of 411 runs, making it the highest aggregate in a T20I clash between Pakistan and New Zealand.
