Hasan Nawaz's 96 Against India Wins Praise From Afridi and Yousuf
Hasan Nawaz’s 96 Against India Wins Praise From Afridi and Yousuf
Former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf have praised emerging Pakistan batter Hasan Nawaz for his 96 against India in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, on Saturday.
Nawaz walked out at No.4 with Pakistan reeling at 39 for three inside seven overs, chasing a daunting 212-run target. The 24-year-old launched a counterattack, smashing seven sixes, the joint-most by a Pakistani batter in a T20I innings, along with five fours in a 51-ball knock.
His 96 is now the highest individual score by a Pakistani batter against India in T20Is.
A Record 96 Against India
India, the reigning world champions, piled up 211 for six after opting to bat, with blistering half-centuries from opener Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. Set the biggest chase of the gold-medal match, Pakistan kept pace only through Nawaz, but negligible support from the other end, especially after Saim Ayub’s dismissal in the 15th over, saw his efforts go in vain.
Nawaz was dismissed on the final delivery of the innings, agonisingly four short of his second T20I century. Had he reached the mark, it would have been the first century by any batter in a Pakistan-India T20I. India held on to win by 19 runs and take the gold medal.
The knock was remarkable given Nawaz had not appeared in the shortest format since November last year, before the Asian Games semi-final against Bangladesh.
Afridi and Yousuf Laud the Innings
Afridi described the knock as “absolute quality” and “gold-medal worthy” in a post on X.
“What a knock by Hassan Nawaz! That was absolute quality, a gold medal-worthy innings in every sense,” Afridi wrote. “At the end of the day, India just played better overall cricket and earned the win. Heads up boys, loved the fight!”
Yousuf echoed the remarks, calling it a strong performance and praising the batter for picking up from where he left off in international cricket.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many runs did Hasan Nawaz score against India?
Hasan Nawaz scored 96 off 51 balls against India in the Asian Games T20 final, with seven sixes and five fours.
Is Hasan Nawaz’s 96 a record?
Yes. It is the highest individual score by a Pakistani batter against India in T20Is, and the seven sixes are the joint-most by a Pakistani in a T20I innings.
What did Shahid Afridi say about the knock?
Afridi called it “absolute quality” and “a gold medal-worthy innings in every sense” on X, while acknowledging India played the better cricket overall.
