22-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain will replace Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2022 as the latter has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury. The tournament is set to get underway on August 27, Saturday, and Pakistan’s campaign will begin on Sunday against India.
Hasnain made his international debut in March 2019 in an ODI against Australia at Sharjah and has appeared in eight ODIs and 18 T20Is. He has taken 12 wickets in the ODIs and 17 wickets in the shortest format and was last in action with Oval Invincibles in the Hundred Men’s competition in England.
Shaheen Afridi likely to return in October: PCB
Afridi is one of the best bowlers in the world and the pace bowling spearhead of the Men in Green. He was out of the team for the second match during the Sri Lanka tour in the Test series. He was also absent for the first two matches of the three-match away ODI series against Netherlands. But a day before the final ODI against the Dutch, it was announced that the star left-arm pacer would be out of the continental tournament due to a right knee ligament injury.
Afridi is also out of the seven-match T20I series against England at home, which will take place between September 20 and October 2. Pakistan’s vice-captain Shadab Khan expressed that it is “unfortunate” that Afridi would be absent for the Asia Cup. “We’re hopeful he will be available for future series and the World Cup. We’ll have to play ruthless cricket. Our team culture is such that we never relax against any team,” Shadab was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.
Dr. Najeebullah Soomro, the chief medical officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), called Afridi a “brave young man” who has promised to come back to the team strongly. “It is now clear he will require more time and is likely to return to competitive cricket in October,” said Soomro. Afridi also put up a Tweet, asking people to pray for his quick recovery, and also said that he would be back soon.
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