Naseem Shah out, Hasan Ali in as Pakistan announces 15-player World Cup squad

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced an 15-member squad for the next month’s Cricket World Cup being played in India, dropping fast bowler Naseem Shah due to injury, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The team was announced by Chief Selector Inzamamul Haq in a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday.

The team consists of 15 regular and three reserve players.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain, Abdullah Shafiq, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), M Wasim Jnr, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir.

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Muhammad Haris, Zaman Khan and Ibrar Ahmad will be the travelling reserves.

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Hasan Ali has replaced the injured Naseem Shah in Pakistan’s squad. Naseem suffered a shoulder injury at the Asia Cup 2023 and is expected to stay on the sidelines for a long period of time.

Explaining the induction of Hasan Ali in the national men’s squad, Inzamamul said “Naseem Shah is our main bowler but unfortunately he got injured. Hasnain had an ankle operation. lhsanullah had an elbow operation. We had few options left among fast bowlers due to injuries.”

He further said “Hasan Ali bowled well in the LPL and elsewhere recently. He is experienced and has played well for Pakistan previously in big events. Once Naseem Shah was ruled out, we also needed a bowler who could bowl with the new ball, and I think Hasan Ali is a great choice. He bowls well with the old ball too and is a team man as well. He brings energy into the team.”

Hasan Ali, 29, was player of the tournament when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, but lost his place as Naseem, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi formed the main pace attack.

Hasan Ali last played an ODI match for Pakistan in 2022 against West Indies in Multan. 

Pakistan have also brought in an extra leg-spinner in Usama Mir, who made his ODI debut earlier this year against New Zealand but was not part of the Asia Cup squad.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Junior make up the remainder of Pakistan's pace attack, while Mohammad Haris is among the reserves.

Spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz also keeps his place in the side, while Faheem Ashraf misses out.

Pakistan axed all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Haris were axed from the squad that crashed out of the Asia Cup this month at the Super Four stage after defeats to India and Sri Lanka.

Opener Fakhar Zaman scored 65 runs in four innings in the Asia Cup, but kept his place in the World Cup squad.

There were questions about leg-spinning allrounder Shadab Khan as well, after he managed six wickets in his last five ODIs. However, he also made the cut and retained the vice-captaincy of the team.

Babar Azam will again captain Pakistan, who begin their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands in Hyderabad on October 6.

Four days later, they play Sri Lanka at the same venue, followed by a high-voltage clash against arch-rivals India in Ahmedabad on October 14.

Pakistan's World Cup squad announcement was delayed by several days as the PCB took stock of a disappointing Asia Cup campaign where they finished bottom of the Super Four group, following defeats to India and Sri Lanka. The board also waited on a second opinion on Naseem's injury prognosis, though positive news on that front has not been forthcoming.

 

 

Reporter Hafiz Shahbaz