What is your input on this scenario? (Ladies' answers only please)?

An acquaintance of mine has taken a fancy to a girl in our math lecture. However, he feels somewhat nervous about the idea of simply approaching her and asking her out, because he fears that she may either have a boyfriend or may not be entirely receptive to a stranger asking her out for a cup of coffee. I would like to see this acquaintance of mine being happy in a relationship with her, so I thought I could play the role of cupid. Several days ago, after cl concluded, I approached her, and simply told her that I thought she seemed like an interesting girl and I would like to get to know her better over a cup of coffee, to which she gave a positive response, indicating, that, in all likelihood, she does not have a boyfriend and is friendly toward people who approach her with respect. Now, I would like to inform him of my findings so he may swoop in, so to speak, and ask her on a date. What I am curious to find out is, do you ladies think this is cruel by any means? Because I feigned an air of interest so that I could better play the part of someone asking her out, and now I will disappear. Or do you think that this was a good choice of action, considering that I simply would like to see the two of them befriend one another? Thank you for your opinions.