Afghan pacer Hamid Hassan calls it quits, may continue in T20s

Afghanistan pace ace Hamid Hassan suffered a hamstring injury while bowling his second over in the World Cup match against Pakistan and could not take the field thereafter.

Afghanistan pacer Hamid Hassan in action against Pakistan in Leeds on Saturday.

 

Afghanistan pace ace Hamid Hassan quit ODI cricket after his team’s three-wicket loss to Pakistan in the World Cup fixture in Leeds on Saturday.

It was not a memorable exit for the 32-year-old, who suffered a hamstring injury while bowling his second over and could not take the field thereafter.

“I was looking forward to winning the game for the team. I was playing my last ODI and in a very good mood,” a dejected Hassan said.

Before he took the field, his team-mates gave him a standing ovation, but he had to hobble off the field and watch his team lose again.

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“I was very excited and pumped up. I bowled very well in the first over and wanted to keep going but I feel something is broken inside of my hamstring.”

With Hassan out of the attack, Naib introduced himself to the attack and conceded 18 runs — which eventually turned things Pakistan’s way.

“I felt very emotional because the team missed me a lot and the ball was also reversing. The situation would have changed,” Hassan said.

Even Naib admitted that Hassan’s absence hurt Afghanistan’s chances against Pakistan.

In June 2007, the right-arm seamer Hassan became the first Afghanistan cricketer ever to play at Lord’s and he took a wicket for 23, representing MCC against a select Europe XI.

Hassan claimed 59 wickets in 38 ODIs in his decade-long international career.

While he ended his ODI career, Hassan plans to play T20 cricket for another couple of years, “if body permits…”