Shaheen Afridi, who is injured, has been replaced in the Pakistani team for the upcoming Asia Cup T20 tournament in the UAE by the young fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain.
Hasnain, 22, who changed his bowling motion, made a comeback to cricket in June. In February, he was barred from bowling when officials in Australia’s Big Bash League called his action.
When the express rapid bowler was able to lessen the flex in his elbow, he resumed bowling. He will join the Pakistan team in the UAE while representing the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.
The right-arm pacer, who played his final Twenty20 match against the West Indies in Karachi in December 2021, has taken 17 wickets in 18 T20 matches. Hasnain, one of his nation’s fastest bowlers, will give Pakistan’s attack much-needed firepower in the absence of pace spearhead Afridi, who will miss the Asia Cup and next month’s seven-match T20 series against England after receiving medical advice to rest for at least four to six weeks to fully recover from a knee injury.
But Hasnain’s comeback has not been without its difficulties. Marcus Stoinis of Australia was caught by Hasnain’s short-pitched delivery during the Hundred competition, and as he was returning to the dugout, he imitated the bowler’s motion by throwing.
The Australian batsman, though, was not formally punished despite appearing to doubt Hasnain’s action’s legality.
India, Pakistan, and a qualifier are all in Group A with their bitter rivals. On Saturday, Pakistan will play their debut match against India. The top two teams from Group B, which includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, advance to the Super 4 stage.
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