Forgotten Pakistan Player Issues Brutal Reminder To Mohsin Naqvi's PCB In National T20 Cup

PCB gets reminder from Pakistan batter [Source: AFP, X]

The National T20 Cup has witnessed some remarkable performances from the Pakistan cricketers. As the tournament continues to enthral spectators with its twists and turns, a forgotten batter has issued a stern reminder to the Mohsin Naqvi's PCB with an outstanding performance. 

We are talking about Hasan Nawaz, who was surprisingly sidelined from Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad following his lean patch in the Asia Cup. 

The ace right-hander rediscovered his mojo, as he hammered a belligerent knock for Sialkot in the 20th National T20 Cup encounter against Multan. 

Hasan Nawaz sets National T20 Cup on fire

After securing thumping wins over Lahore and Abbottabad, Sialkot took on Multan in the 20th group-stage match of the ongoing National T20 Cup. 

Multan region captain Usama Mir won the toss and elected to bat first in order to capitalise on the playing conditions at the Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar. 

However, a sensational three-wicket haul from Sufiyan Muqeem ensured Multan never got going, eventually getting bundled out for 163 runs. 

Although they had Sialkot reeling at 100 for three in 15.5 overs, Hasan Nawaz's fireworks helped the latter chase the total in the very last over. 

Coming at number four, Hasan Nawaz hammered 80 runs off just 40 balls, securing Sialkot's knockout qualification with his batting exploits. The destructive right-hander belted five boundaries and six massive maximums, thereby helping his team register a crucial win in the competition. 

Hasan Nawaz's roller-coaster career for Pakistan

Renowned for his aggressive stroke-play, Hasan Nawaz made it into the Pakistan team when the Men in Green toured to New Zealand for a T20I series. 

Although he registered two consecutive ducks, Nawaz bounced back in style, slamming a match-winning 45-ball 105* in the third T20I in Auckland. 

His stunning hundred prompted the Pakistani team management to persist with him in their T20I lineup. The right-hander further went on to showcase his impact in the West Indies series, scoring crucial runs at a strike rate of 164.58. 

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However, just when it seemed like Nawaz had found his feet in international cricket, his torrid run in the UAE Tri-series raised question marks over his place in the team. 

The Pakistan team management's decision to shuffle him throughout the order affected his performance, as Nawaz managed only 25 runs in his subsequent five T20I innings. 

As a result, the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB sidelined Nawaz from the T20I scheme of things just before the World Cup. This move backfired on the Pakistan team, as their middle-order batters couldn't live up to the expectations in the T20 World Cup. 

Hasan Nawaz issues reminder to PCB with consistency in National T20 Cup

Talking about Pakistan's middle-order batters, skipper Salman Ali Agha averaged just 10 with the bat, while Usman Khan managed only 60 runs in five innings. 

The experienced Babar Azam was dropped from the team following a string of middling returns, with Shadab Khan scoring only 118 runs at a poor average of 23.6. 

So, with Pakistan searching for reliable middle-order batters for the next T20 World Cup, Hasan Nawaz has certainly presented a strong case for his T20I comeback. 

The forgotten batter has let his bat do the talking this National T20 Cup, scoring 184 runs, including two blistering half-centuries, at an average of 61.33 and a strike rate of 164.29. Given that he has performed consistently, the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB could bring him back as the Men in Green aim to form a robust batting unit for the upcoming ICC events. 

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