Pakistan cricketer Azan Awais, who became the 14th player from the country to score a century on Test debut, said he was delighted after producing an impressive performance in his first match.
Speaking at a press conference after the close of the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh on Sunday, Awais thanked God for helping him play well for his country. He said he faced some difficulty at the start of his innings but settled afterwards and batted with confidence.
Awais said his partnership with Imam-ul-Haq proved vital, adding that the senior batter guided him during the innings, shared his experience and helped ease the pressure.
The young batter said Pakistan would seek to restrict Bangladesh to a low total as the match had so far progressed favourably for the home side. Recalling the moment when a delivery from Nahid Rana struck his helmet, Awais said he lost his senses for nearly five minutes before regaining composure and continuing his innings.
He has termed his maiden first-class century as a memorable moment and said he celebrated the landmark in a simple manner. Awais said he had played 33 first-class matches over the past two years and that representing Pakistan in Test cricket had always been his dream.
The fringe player has credited domestic cricket for preparing him to play on different pitches and helping him cope with pressure at international level. The batter said his father and coach Mansoor Amjad had supported him throughout his journey.
Awais admitted there was nervousness while facing the first ball of his international career but said he did not allow pressure to dominate him. He added that all his team-mates had backed him and continued to encourage him during the match.
Separately, debutants Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal spoke about their experiences after making their Test debuts against Bangladesh. Awais said he was excited rather than under pressure and admitted he felt slightly anxious when he first walked out to bat.
He said the five minutes after being struck on the helmet were difficult, adding that he later regained focus and proved his ability with the bat.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Fazal said he felt pressure in his debut innings and required more than 20 deliveries to score his first run.
He said the pressure disappeared after striking his first boundary and added that he greatly enjoyed his debut appearance.
Fazal said Pakistan would attempt to dismiss Bangladesh quickly and chase down the target successfully.
.jpg)
