Hasan Nawaz, Pakistan batter, opened up about the disappointment of losing the men's cricket final against India at the Asian Games, and said defeat still hurts. India won the gold medal and Pakistan took the silver medal after 19 runs against India in the final of the title in Japan.
Nawaz played a key role with the bat for Pakistan in the final with 96 runs. But despite his individual contribution, Pakistan could not complete the chase and fell short of India’s target. Nawaz said the team made some mistakes and paid the price for them.
“I am still disappointed and hurt at not being able to win the final. We made small mistakes and we paid the price for them,” Nawaz said in a statement to the media.
The defeat was particularly frustrating for Pakistan as the team remained in the thick of the chase for a good part of the innings. Nawaz said he felt Pakistan had a real chance to win the gold medal match and he was happy with the innings he played.
Hasan Nawaz Reflects On India Defeat
Nawaz said facing India was always going to be a tough challenge because India came in as the top-ranked team. But he felt Pakistan had created an opportunity for themselves during the chase.
“I am satisfied with my runs, but losing the final was disappointing because I really thought we could win the game,” Nawaz said.
Nawaz explained that he was trying to bat as per the situation in the match and he saw a possible opportunity late in the innings. With India having limited bowling resources available at that point in time, Nawaz believed Pakistan could put pressure on the opposition.
He said India had only one over from Jasprit Bumrah left and Pakistan had an opportunity to take advantage of it. But mistakes during the run chase prevented the team from taking full advantage of the situation.
According to Nawaz, the final came down to execution. Individual performances were key, but Pakistan needed to avoid errors during key moments to successfully chase the target.
Nawaz Happy With Comeback Performance
Despite the disappointment of the result, Nawaz had reason to be pleased with his performance. His 96-run innings against India came after a tough period in his career, with the batter sidelined for much of the previous year.
The youngster said it was satisfying to return to the international team and perform well in a big match against India. Playing such an important match after a long period of time away from action provided Nawaz with confidence.
“To make a comeback with a good innings against India was very satisfying individually for me,” he said.
Nawaz’s return will provide Pakistan with another batting option, as the team is in preparation for upcoming white-ball assignments. His ability to play under pressure against a strong Indian bowling attack was one of the positive aspects of Pakistan’s campaign.
Pakistan Must Learn From India Defeat
Nawaz did concede the disappointment of losing the Asian Games final but said Pakistan cannot let it drag on forever. The team has to learn from the mistakes made against India and take that lesson to improve, he said.
“I think the final is over now and cricket and matches will continue. We will also continue to make mistakes, but I think to beat them, we have to learn from our mistakes and become better,” Nawaz said.
His comments suggest that the team needs to convert close matches into victories. Pakistan had enough chances in the final but was not able to gain momentum during the chase.
The match also offered players valuable experience on a major multi-sport platform. For younger players from the Pakistan team, facing India in the final presented an opportunity to experience the pressure of high-profile international cricket.
Grassroots Cricket Helping Nawaz Improve
Nawaz also talked about his development and how he was working to improve his game. He said playing a lot of grassroots cricket has made him more comfortable in tough conditions.
He believes exposure to different bowlers and pitches can play a big part in developing a young cricketer. According to Nawaz, performing in challenging conditions at lower levels can build confidence and prepare players for international cricket.
The young Pakistani player entered the international stage with a T20I century against New Zealand in 2024. He continues to work on his game while attempting to establish himself at the international level.
Focus Turns To Sri Lanka And England
Nawaz said he is not thinking too far into the future and wants to focus on the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka and England. Instead of allowing the Asian Games defeat to affect his confidence, the batter intends to carry his recent form into the next assignments.
He admitted that cricket inevitably brings both good and difficult periods and players need to remain committed to their plans through those ups and downs.
For Pakistan, the Asian Games final defeat against India will remain a missed opportunity, but Nawaz’s 96 and his subsequent reflections show how the team can use the experience constructively. In the next round of white-ball competitions, Pakistan will have to turn individual performances and promising positions into wins.
