When India and Pakistan lock horns in the Asia Cup on Sunday, they will be missing their pace spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi, respectively, due to injury. On Friday, Pakistan was dealt another blow in the bowling department when pacer Mohammad Wasim was ruled out with a left side strain.
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Here is a look at the Pakistani bowling attack India will be up against on Sunday.
Hasan Ali (right-arm medium-fast)
Ali, who replaces Wasim in the squad, is Pakistan’s most experienced pacer in the tournament, having played 49 T20Is, 60 ODIs and 21 Tests. However, he heads into the tournament on the back of poor form. He conceded 30 runs in three overs against Australia in the only T20I played by Pakistan in 2022 and has gone at 6.55 runs an over in three ODIs this year, while picking two wickets. The architect of Pakistan’s historic 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, who faced criticism after dropping the crucial catch of Australian Matthew Wade during the T20 World Cup 2021 semifinal, in which he returned figures of 0 for 44 in four overs, will be hoping to make amends this time around. In Pakistan’s 10-wicket rout of India in the T20 World Cup last year, Ali conceded 44 runs in four wickets but picked the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.
In Pakistan’s 10-wicket rout of India in the T20 World Cup last year, Hasan Ali conceded 44 runs in four wickets but picked the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Haris Rauf (right-arm fast)
Rauf, in the absence of Afridi, promises to be the most potent threat in Pakistan’s pace battery at the Asia Cup. The right arm pacer boasts of 42 wickets in 35 T20Is, in addition to 29 wickets in just 15 ODIs. With his pace and subtle variations, Rauf can go for runs but has the knack of picking wickets. In just seven ODIs in 2022, Rauf has bagged 15 wickets at an economy rate of 5.59, six of them coming in two ODIs against Netherlands this month. At the T20 World Cup 2021 against India, he picked one for 25 in four overs, dismissing Hardik Pandya and ended the tournament with eight scalps in six matches.
In just seven ODIs in 2022, Rauf has bagged 15 wickets at an economy rate of 5.59. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Naseem Shah (right-arm fast)
Nineteen-year-old Naseem is an exciting young prospect in Pakistan’s pace department. While he is yet to play a T20I, the tearaway fast-bowler has impressed in Tests of late with 13 wickets in four matches in 2022 and has scalped 10 wickets in three ODIs, including a five for 33 against Netherlands in the third ODI earlier this month.
Naseem Shah has impressed in Tests of late with 13 wickets in four matches in 2022 | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Mohammad Hasnain (right-arm fast)
Hasnain, who came into the squad as replacement for Afridi, will have big shoes to fill. The 22-year-old has played eight ODIs and 18 T20Is who hasn’t played at the international level since December 2021 due to a faulty action that was reported in January 2022 in the Big Bash League (BBL). He was cleared to bowl in international cricket in June. Hasnain turned heads at the age of 19, when he picked a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in Lahore in only his second T20I and became the youngest to achieve the feat.
Hasnain turned heads at the age of 19, when he picked a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in Lahore in only his second T20I. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Shahnawaz Dahani (right-arm fast medium)
Dahani has limited international experience, having played only two T20Is and as many ODIs. He made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in 2021, picking one for 24 in three overs before returning one for 36 on ODI debut against West Indies in June this year.
Shadab Khan (legbreak)
Pakistan’s spin department will revolve around experience leg-spinner Shadab, who was 73 wickets in 64 T20Is at an economy rate of 7.11. Shadab has had a successful 2022 so far, picking eight wickets in five ODIs at 4.82 runs an over. While he hasn’t played a T20I this year, Shadab had a stellar T20 World Cup 2021, where he picked nine wickets in six matches at a very economical 6.00 an over. His ability to pick wickets while squeezing runs and packing a punch with the bat lower down the order could pose a challenge for India.
Shadab has had a successful 2022 so far, picking eight wickets in five ODIs at 4.82 runs an over. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Usman Qadir (legbreak)
Another leg-spinner in Pakistan’s ranks is Usman, son of the legendary Abdul Qadir. The 29-year-old has 24 wickets in 18 T20Is at an economy rate of 7.57. He picked two for 33 against Australia in the only T20I Pakistan has played in 2022. His best T20I figures of four for 13 in four overs came against Zimbabwe in 2020.
Usman’s best T20I figures of four for 13 in four overs came against Zimbabwe in 2020. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
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