PCB expected to call up fast bowler Hasan Ali to the Test team to replace Haris Rauf, who is ruled out for the rest of the England series due to a quad injury
According to the sources, deliberations are underway to call upon the pacer Hasan for the Multan and Karachi Test after he was initially dropped from the 18-member squad announced for the series.
Also Read : Pakistani Pacer Haris Rauf ruled of England Test Series due to Quad injury
Only one other fast bowler, Mohammad Wasim Jr., is still on the options and has yet to make his debut in Test. The team management is cautious about selecting another inexperienced player after England crushed Pakistan’s young bowling lineup in the first game.
On Tuesday, Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that right-arm speedster Haris had been unable to recover from the injury he sustained on the opening day of the Rawalpindi Test and would fly to Lahore to start his rehabilitation at the National High Performace center.
Although his form has witnessed a dip in recent years that forced his exclusion from both red-ball and white-ball squads, Hasan Ali has valuable experience playing for Pakistan in 21 Tests in which he took 77 wickets at a brilliant average of 24.57. He was also named Pakistan’s Test Cricketer of the year for 2021.
Mohammad Abbas is still an option for PCB, but after Mohammad Ali conceded 188 runs, Pakistan is unlikely to utilize a medium pacer on batting-friendly pitches.
The second Test between the two teams will commence on Friday, December 9, in Multan.
It is worth mentioning here that the home side is currently trailing the historic three-match series 0-1 after England sealed a sensational win in the opening Test.
