With the Asia Cup starting tomorrow, Pakistan have fired an early warning shot. Mohammad Nawaz's hat-trick in the tri-series final against Afghanistan not only sealed a 75-run win in Sharjah but also underlined his value as a match-winner.
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The left-arm spinner returned his career-best T20I figures of 5 for 19. He ripped through Afghanistan's batting order on a tricky surface.
His timely performance has raised interest around his record against India - Pakistan's biggest rivals in Group A.
Mohammad Nawaz's hat-trick lifts Pakistan past Afghanistan
Pakistan struggled with the bat. They posted 141 for 8 after electing to bat first.
Fakhar Zaman's 27 and skipper Salman Agha's 24 were the main contributions while Rashid Khan picked up 3 wickets for Afghanistan. Nawaz added a handy 25 before turning the game with the ball.
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He dismissed Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai in successive balls, then trapped Ibrahim Zadran first ball of his next over to complete his hat-trick. Afghanistan were all out for just 66 runs in 15.5 overs - their second-lowest T20I total.
"We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we've done that. We've been doing really well since the Bangladesh series at home. Now, we're in very good shape and fully prepared," Pakistan captain Salman Agha after the win.
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Mohammad Nawaz's record against India
While Nawaz's heroics against Afghanistan make headlines, his record against India remains modest. In six matches, he has taken six wickets at an average of nearly 40.
His best figures came in the 2022 Asia Cup when he took 3 for 33.
| Format | Matches | Innings | Overs | Wickets | Best | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 3 | 3 | 11.4 | 6 | 3/33 | 16.6 | 8.57 |
| ODI | 3 | 3 | 23.3 | 0 | -- | -- | 5.82 |
| Total | 6 | 6 | 35.1 | 6 | 3/33 | 39.50 | 6.73 |
Nawaz's ability to strike in key moments makes him a dangerous option despite those numbers and India will know they can't afford to take him lightly in Dubai.
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