After injury pace bowler Wasim Jr ruled out of Asia Cup squad

Lahore: Fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr won't be able to participate in the T20 Asia Cup owing to injury and will be replaced by pacer Hasan Ali , the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday.

Hasan Ali was earlier dropped from a 15-member squad. The tournament will be played in the United Arab Emirates from Aug 27 to Sep 11.

Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim had on Aug 3 unveiled the Asia Cup squad sans Hasan, who he said “was given a break from international cricket”.

According to a PCB statement issued today, Wasim Jr suffered a left side strain during a practice session on Wednesday. “The bowler was assessed by the team medical staff, and MRI scan in Dubai confirmed the diagnosis.”

The cricket board said a medical team will closely monitor Wasim’s rehabilitation and his return to competitive cricket will be reassessed before the England tour to Pakistan.

Hasan Ali has been named as Wasim’s replacement, which is subject to the Event Technical Committee’s approval, it added.

Hasan was player of the tournament in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy win in 2017. But the 28-year-old took just three wickets in two Tests in Sri Lanka last month, claimed only three wickets for 222 runs in his last three ODIs, and went wicket-less in two of his last three T20 internationals.

“As soon as the ETC approves Hasan as a replacement player, the bowler will depart for the UAE,” the PCB said.

It added that Hasan was sought as a replacement player by the team management and the request was accepted by the chief selector.

“Hasan had been working on his bowling in the National High Performance Centre for the past three weeks and is presently in Rawalpindi, preparing for the National T20, which commences on Aug 30.”

Pakistan will take on India in their Asia Cup 2022 opener in Dubai on Aug 28 (Sunday), while their second Group A fixture will be against a qualifier (UAE, Kuwait, Singapore or Hong Kong) in Sharjah on Sep 2 (Friday).

The super four matches will be played from September 3-9.