"Rizwan and Babar must be paying half of their salaries to Nawaz" - Pakistan fans jubilant after middle order clicks to secure tri-series win over New Zealand 

Pakistan recorded a thrilling five-wicket win over New Zealand in the final of the tri-series involving Bangladesh as well on Friday, October 14. Mohammad Nawaz was adjudged Player of the Match for his blistering 22-ball 38-run knock during the run chase and a tight bowling spell that yielded the wicket of Glenn Phillips.

The all-rounder has been quite a revelation for Babar Azam's side as a floater batter. His exploits were first on show during the Asia Cup 2022, where he scored 42 runs off 20 deliveries against India in a Super 4 game, coming in at No. 4. He played a big hand in Pakistan securing a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the previous contest.

After electing to bowl first, Pakistan restricted New Zealand to 163-7 courtesy of some excellent death bowling. The hosts were primed to post a huge total with the score reading 134-4 with four overs remaining. Haris Rauf continued his fine run of form and was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2-22.

The Men in Green were guilty of forging a slow start once again as they ended the powerplay with just 33 runs to their name. With Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan departing in the space of nine deliveries, Pakistan were in a spot of bother. The required rate climbed up against the heavily-critcized middle order.

However, led by Mohammad Nawaz, the visitors staked their claim in the chase. The all-rounder was well supported by Haider Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed as they scaled the target with three balls to spare.

The Twitterati lavished praise on Mohammad Nawaz's yet another impactful knock but lambasted opening batter Rizwan's approach yet again.

Here are a few reactions:

Nibraz Ramzan

@nibraz88cricket

Muhammed Nawaz. Every time he got promoted to No. 4, he won it for Pakistan by smashing:

42* off 20 vs India
45* of 20 vs Bangladesh
38* off 22 vs New Zealand

Pakistan should persist with Muhammed Nawaz at No. 4 in World T20. Agree? #NZVPAK

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Muhammed Nawaz. Every time he got promoted to No. 4, he won it for Pakistan by smashing:

42* off 20 vs India
45* of 20 vs Bangladesh
38* off 22 vs New Zealand

Pakistan should persist with Muhammed Nawaz at No. 4 in World T20. Agree? #NZVPAK https://t.co/wJHAJHZD6g

Farid Khan

@_FaridKhan

Nawaz scored 42 off 20 vs India in the Asia Cup batting at No. 4, 45* off 20 batting vs Bangladesh, 38* off 22 balls vs New Zealand, Shadab scored 36 off 26 vs Afghanistan in Asia Cup at No. 5, 34 off 22 vs New Zealand at 4. Pakistan have found a formula! #NZTriSeries #NZvPAK

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Nawaz scored 42 off 20 vs India in the Asia Cup batting at No. 4, 45* off 20 batting vs Bangladesh, 38* off 22 balls vs New Zealand, Shadab scored 36 off 26 vs Afghanistan in Asia Cup at No. 5, 34 off 22 vs New Zealand at 4. Pakistan have found a formula! #NZTriSeries #NZvPAK

Muhammad Bilal

@Bilalium97

Is Nawaz the Mathew Wade of Pakistan? Yeah he is.
3rd Chase for him since Asia Cup 2022.
42 (20) vs India
45* (20) vs Bangladesh
38* (22) vs New Zealand
#NZvPAK
#NZTriSeries

2

Is Nawaz the Mathew Wade of Pakistan? Yeah he is.
3rd Chase for him since Asia Cup 2022.
42 (20) vs India
45* (20) vs Bangladesh
38* (22) vs New Zealand
#NZvPAK
#NZTriSeries

Momin

@real_momin

Add Shaheen & Fakhar into this playing IX and we are very much ready for 23rd Oct.
#PakvsNz

4

Add Shaheen & Fakhar into this playing IX and we are very much ready for 23rd Oct.
#PakvsNz

Haqeeqi Azadi

@HaqeeqiAzadi_

I will say again RIZWAN is a liability
#PAKvsNZ

I will say again RIZWAN is a liability
#PAKvsNZ

Sonu Dar

@Sonudar84

What a moral booster performance before world cup by Pakistan.. It will definitely help Pakistan in world cup... Nawaz and Haider chip in at the right time for Pakistan. Congratulations Pakistan.. Better luck next time New Zealand... #PakvsNz

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What a moral booster performance before world cup by Pakistan.. It will definitely help Pakistan 🇵🇰 in world cup... Nawaz and Haider chip in at the right time for Pakistan. Congratulations Pakistan.. Better luck next time New Zealand... #PakvsNz

Ashar Ahsan

@AsharAhsan

Was a huge supporter of Shan being in XI but he clearly is not a solution of this lineup in t20s. This chase will only get worst.

Was a huge supporter of Shan being in XI but he clearly is not a solution of this lineup in t20s. This chase will only get worst. 😭😭

Tanmay

@StanCric

Rizwan and Babar must be paying half of their salaries to Nawaz for clearing their mess up in literally every other game. Aaj to Haider ko bhi tagda payment kiya hoga

Rizwan and Babar must be paying half of their salaries to Nawaz for clearing their mess up in literally every other game. Aaj to Haider ko bhi tagda payment kiya hoga

Arslan Ahmed

@ArslanAhmad2132

Nawaz and Haider scored 56 runs in the middle at almost 13 per over.

That is where we won this!
Baqi Rizwan ka Dil tha RRR 16 tak jati

Nawaz and Haider scored 56 runs in the middle at almost 13 per over.

That is where we won this!
Baqi Rizwan ka Dil tha RRR 16 tak jati

Karthik Rao

@Cric_Karthikk

He just needs to take a leaf out of Conway,Malan book

He has so many good ground strokes, can attack spin

Rotate strike at 130-140 n punish bad balls

He’ll come good in Aus though, problem is Babar-Rizwan more often than not make sure they play out PP

Puts pressure from ball1 twitter.com/ariescric/stat…

Aries

@ariescric

Again going to shed light on this, even today in spite of him scoring under a run a ball, it was evident that he is trying all he can to make it work. Swept and reverse-swept the ball and also looked to go down the track and attack, just that twitter.com/ariescric/stat…

1

Again going to shed light on this, even today in spite of him scoring under a run a ball, it was evident that he is trying all he can to make it work. Swept and reverse-swept the ball and also looked to go down the track and attack, just that twitter.com/ariescric/stat…

He just needs to take a leaf out of Conway,Malan book

He has so many good ground strokes, can attack spin

Rotate strike at 130-140 n punish bad balls

He’ll come good in Aus though, problem is Babar-Rizwan more often than not make sure they play out PP

Puts pressure from ball1 twitter.com/ariescric/stat…

KaanpeTaangRahiHa

@ha_taang

@MHafeez22 @HarisRauf14 @mnawaz94 @iamhaideraly This series belongs to Rauf and Nawaz. Whatever Rizwan scored in Asia cup and in this series doesn’t count. Rizwan playing for his own runs and whatever Nawaz and Haidar ali scored today is what wins you big matches.. Still playing slow in power play the world class openers

4

@MHafeez22 @HarisRauf14 @mnawaz94 @iamhaideraly This series belongs to Rauf and Nawaz. Whatever Rizwan scored in Asia cup and in this series doesn’t count. Rizwan playing for his own runs and whatever Nawaz and Haidar ali scored today is what wins you big matches.. Still playing slow in power play the world class openers

Raju bhai

@mrfit22

@ArfaSays_ Have to confess Rizwan played criminally slow today and Shan was even worse.

@ArfaSays_ Have to confess Rizwan played criminally slow today and Shan was even worse.

Mohammad Hafeez

@MHafeez22

Congratulations team Pakistan winning #NZTriSeries comprehensively 🏼🏼🏼. Bowling was phenomenal & set up the tone in last 5 overs. Well bowled @HarisRauf14 🏼. @mnawaz94 🏼🏼 @iamhaideraly 🏼. This series win wil give lot of confidence to team Pakistan in T20 World Cup

5948

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Congratulations team Pakistan winning #NZTriSeries comprehensively 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. Bowling was phenomenal & set up the tone in last 5 overs. Well bowled @HarisRauf14 👏🏼😍. @mnawaz94 😍👏🏼👏🏼 @iamhaideraly 👏🏼👋. This series win wil give lot of confidence to team Pakistan in T20 World Cup

Ali Murtaza

@murtazzatweets

Don't forget NZ's great favor to us when they got RiZWAN out. He is such a selfish and slow player. Contrarily, when Babar stays on the crease he goes for boundaries soon after getting into 20s/30s. Riz just makes it tough for us.

#NZvPAK #PAKvNZ #Nawaz #IftikharChacha #haider

Don't forget NZ's great favor to us when they got RiZWAN out. He is such a selfish and slow player. Contrarily, when Babar stays on the crease he goes for boundaries soon after getting into 20s/30s. Riz just makes it tough for us.

#NZvPAK #PAKvNZ #Nawaz #IftikharChacha #haider

Haider Raja

@Hayder_raja

@awaisabdulla48 Flexible batting order. Nawaz/Shadab at 4 Haider at 5/6 depending on the situation. Can be used at 4 too if he’s given the simpl role to go and attack.

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@awaisabdulla48 Flexible batting order. Nawaz/Shadab at 4 Haider at 5/6 depending on the situation. Can be used at 4 too if he’s given the simpl role to go and attack.

Assad

@LeftArmAround

Such a delicious match with lots of narratives. Haider’s return to form, nawaz consolidating himself as a real batting force,Shan showing limitations of 3 anchor approach, rauf showing why he’s royalty. big question is, does this team have it in them to beat Aus when it matters?

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Such a delicious match with lots of narratives. Haider’s return to form, nawaz consolidating himself as a real batting force,Shan showing limitations of 3 anchor approach, rauf showing why he’s royalty. big question is, does this team have it in them to beat Aus when it matters?

Abdullah Mangat

@chabdullah_2000

Certified Allrounder M Nawaz gives 100 percent to the team.
If our PCB works hard on his game earlier then he will be one of the good Allrounder currently in this world. Like Jadeja, Pandya, Stokes and Moin Ali.
#PakvsNz

1

Certified Allrounder M Nawaz gives 100 percent to the team.
If our PCB works hard on his game earlier then he will be one of the good Allrounder currently in this world. Like Jadeja, Pandya, Stokes and Moin Ali.
#PakvsNz

Pakistan head into the T20 World Cup 2022 on the back of some decent form

Babar's side lost the Asia Cup 2022 final against Sri Lanka and then lost a closely contested seven-match T20I series by a 4-3 margin to England at home before claiming the tri-series in New Zealand. The side will be strengthened by the return of bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi, while the upstage by the middle-order batters is also something that the team can take in their stride.

Pakistan will play England in a warm-up contest next week before starting their T20 World Cup campaign against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, October 23.

With the middle order being among the runs as well, are Pakistan a well-balanced unit heading into the T20 World Cup 2022? Let us know what you think.

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