RAWALPINDI: Pakistan batter Hasan Nawaz has urged the national team to move on from their narrow defeat to India in the Asian Games 2026 final, insisting that the loss was only a setback and that more opportunities to beat their arch-rivals would come.
Hasan Nawaz’s media talk ahead of Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka
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Pakistan suffered a 19-run defeat against India in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games in Japan last week, despite a fighting 96 from Nawaz, who emerged as his team’s top scorer while chasing a daunting target of 212.
Hasan Nawaz draws confidence from India performance
Speaking to reporters during Pakistan’s training session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Nawaz said the team had made several small mistakes that ultimately cost them the gold medal.
The 24-year-old right-hander said players must learn from defeats instead of remaining stuck in them and vowed that Pakistan would try to avoid repeating the same mistakes when they face India again.
“This cricket is not over yet. There will be a match with them again. We will make new mistakes again, and we will try to win the match. So, this is just a part of the game,” Nawaz said.
His 96-run innings was the highest individual score in a T20 international between Pakistan and India, earning him praise from former Pakistan stars Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf.
The impressive performance also helped Nawaz earn a place in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming three-match home T20I series against Sri Lanka, beginning Friday.
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Nawaz believed Pakistan could chase down 212
Nawaz said he entered the Asian Games final with the belief that he could take Pakistan over the line, but a lack of runs during one or two crucial overs in the middle of the innings shifted the momentum in India’s favour.
He said facing the world’s top-ranked team also gave him significant confidence, particularly after returning to the national side following his omission last November.
“I got a lot of confidence to perform against them,” Nawaz said, adding that he had travelled to Japan from the Caribbean Premier League determined to contribute to Pakistan’s gold-medal campaign.
Read Also: Fans, Former Players Laud Hasan Nawaz’s Fighting Knock in Asian Games Cricket Final
The batter also credited the Pakistan coaching staff, led by Mike Hesson, for providing him with a clear development plan after he was dropped from the national T20I side.
Nawaz said he worked on those plans during his time away from international cricket and benefited from playing on difficult local pitches against a variety of bowlers.
He believes the experience has helped strengthen his game, saying that players who become accustomed to difficult conditions find batting easier when they return to better-quality pitches.
With Pakistan now preparing for the Sri Lanka series, Nawaz will be looking to build on his impressive comeback and establish himself as a key part of the national T20 setup.
