Azan Awais credits partners for instilling confidence after maiden Test ton

Pakistan batter Azan Awais said on Sunday that he was determined to show his batsmanship after being hit on the head by Nahid Rana on the second day of the opening Test of the two-match series.

Awais, who resumed Day 3 on 85, scored his maiden Test hundred against Bangladesh and was happy that he could keep his promise that he made to himself after being welcomed by a deadly Nahid Rana bouncer that hit him on the helmet.

Awais played 13 balls prior to that blow but got into his gear soon after as he punished the Bangladeshi pacers, who were erratic with their line and length.

"When I was facing my first ball, I was just a little bit nervous. However, once I scored my first run, all the frustration and nervousness went away," Awais told reporters after the third day's play.

"When the ball hit my helmet, I zoned out a little bit for about five minutes. Then, I realized it was time to show them who I am," he said.

"Especially when I was walking out to bat, I was a little bit nervous, but Alhamdulillah, I performed very well for my country," he said, adding that his partners, especially Imam-ul-Haq, gave him a lot of confidence in the middle.

"They gave me a lot of confidence throughout the innings, and we built good partnerships for our team. Imam bhai, especially, gave me a lot of confidence and shared his experience, so Alhamdulillah, we had a strong partnership," he said.

Awais added that he was prepared for the Test challenge as he had been playing a lot of domestic cricket and had the confidence to excel due to his success in domestic cricket, having scored 10 centuries in 33 first-class matches.

"Over the last one and a half years, I played 33 first-class matches and performed really well in domestic cricket. It has always been my dream to play Test cricket. When I was in the training camp, the coaches gave me a chance, and I realized that, Inshallah, my dream was coming true and I was achieving my goal," said Awais.

"In international Test cricket, there are always difficulties because bowlers come with a set plan on where to bowl to a batter. You have to navigate your way out of that pressure and find a way to score runs," he said.

"I think in international cricket, they plan specifically on how to get a batsman out. But Alhamdulillah, I have performed really well in domestic cricket, so I carried that confidence with me," he said.

"Regarding the green track, I would say that in the last one and a half years of playing domestic cricket, we have encountered all kinds of pitches. We had experience playing with heavy dew, so we knew exactly how to play on a green track. Since it is your first international match, there is understandably a little bit of pressure on you, but Alhamdulillah, I absorbed it and performed my absolute best for the team," he said.

Awais, known for being calm, celebrated loudly after reaching his hundred. He credited his father and all the coaches that he worked so far for his successful Test debut as he feels they worked really hard behind him.

"It was my first hundred and I am usually a very calm guy, I just did a normal celebration. It was a highly blessed moment for me, which is why I reacted that way," said Awais.

"They (my family) are all very happy because they have supported me a lot throughout the years. It is a very blessed moment for me, and I am incredibly happy for them," he said

'I think my father supported me a lot throughout the years and he coached me initially. After that, I found a coach in Mansoor Amjad. I kept meeting different coaches during different phases; I worked with (Mohammad) Yousuf bhai, and also at the SNGPL department," he said.

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