A fairy-tale start to international cricket for Ajan Awais! The Pakistani prodigy, aged just 21, blazed to 103 on debut in the first Test against Bangladesh at Dhaka’s iconic Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, securing his place as the 14th Green Shirt to hit a century in their maiden Test appearance. This third-day drama unfolded with Pakistan trailing but refusing to yield.
Starting the day on 85, the left-handed opener wasted no time, guiding Nahid Rana’s delivery for a single in the 51st over to trigger celebrations. His 165-ball vigil, punctuated by 14 fours, ended abruptly post-milestone, yet his contributions were pivotal: a 106-run opening alliance with Imam-ul-Haq and a 104-run second-wicket union with Abdullah Fazal.
This feat catapults Awais into Pakistan’s pantheon of debut ton-makers, a roll of honor including Tawfeeq Umar (104 vs Bangladesh, 2001), Umar Akmal (129 vs New Zealand, 2009), and the latest before him, Kamran Ghulam (114 vs England, 2024). Each name evokes memories of promise fulfilled on the grand stage.
In the match context, responding to Bangladesh’s imposing 413, Pakistan closed at 310 for 5 after 81.2 overs. Salman Ali Agha (44*) and Mohammad Rizwan (35*) remained not out, ensuring the team lived to fight another day in this gripping encounter.
