Last Updated:
Mohammad Nawaz’s hat-trick and 5 for 19 led Pakistan to a dramatic tri-series final win over Afghanistan in Sharjah, earning him Player of the Match honors.
Mohammad Nawaz claimed a hat-trick against Afghanistan
Afghanistan looked on course for a commanding victory in the tri-series final on Sunday night after Rashid Khan & Co. restricted Pakistan to a modest 141 for 8 in their 20 overs. But Mohammad Nawaz emerged as the stumbling block, denying the Afghans what could have been a historic triumph.
The target was low and the Afghans would have sighted an easy win, but Nawaz’s hat-trick, and then a 5-wicket haul, dented their final lap. The left-arm orthodox struck on the last two deliveries of his opening over, dismissing Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai for ducks. He then returned with his second over, hunting down star Afghan batter Ibrahim Zadran to complete the hat-trick.
With this feat, Nawaz also became only the third Pakistani bowler to claim a hat-trick in T20Is, after Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain.
Pakistani players with a T20I hat-trick
| Player | Match | Venue | Season |
| Faheem Ashraf | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Abu Dhabi | 2017/18 |
| Md Hasnain | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Lahore | 2019/20 |
| Md Nawaz | Pakistan vs Afghanistan | Sharjah | 2025 |
Nawaz returned figures of 5 for 19 in the crucial game against Afghanistan, joining the elite list of Pakistani bowlers with a five-wicket haul in T20Is.
5-Wicket Hauls for Pakistan in Men’s T20Is
| Player | Figures | Opposition | Year |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 5 for 3 | Zimbabwe | 2024 |
| Umar Gul | 5 for 6 | New Zealand | 2009 |
| Umar Gul | 5 for 6 | South Africa | 2013 |
| Imad Wasim | 5 for 14 | West Indies | 2016 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 5 for 19 | Afghanistan | 2025 |
| Hasan Ali | 5 for 30 | Bangladesh | 2025 |
Undoubtedly, the left-arm spinner was adjudged the Player of the Match. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he said hitting the right areas was the key to success.
“The plan was very simple. We knew this pitch was difficult to bat on. We had to be disciplined with our bowling. We hit the right areas and found success,” Nawaz said.
“I got spin on the first two balls, I realised the pace at which I had to bowl. I had to keep the pads and stumps in play. I am feeling good. I have control, and that has given me the confidence. Just trying to keep things simple and trying to execute. We needed a partnership at that time. We were under pressure, but we recovered and got to 140,” he added.
The tri-series triumph will boost Pakistan’s confidence going into the Asia Cup 2025, where they are placed in Group A with India, UAE and Oman. They will face the men in blue in the crucial group-stage fixture on September 14 in Dubai.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
September 08, 2025, 07:52 IST
Read More
