Pakistan have called up Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim jnr as cover for the first of three-match Test series against Australia.
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Pakistan suffered a massive blow ahead of the first of three-match Test series against Australia, slated to get underway from Friday, as medium-pacer Hasan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf were ruled out of the inaugural contest due to injury. The pair is expected to join the squad ahead of the second Test which starts from March 12. In the meantime, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim jnr, have been included in the hosts squad as cover.
Hasan and Ashraf were part of the injury-hit Islamabad United squad which lost to eventual finalists Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) contest on Friday. The medium-pacer was a part of the match but was eventually seen limping off the ground due to abductor strain while Ashraf missed the game with a hamstring strain.
“Faheem and Hasan will rejoin the squad in the coming week and, after completing their three-day mandatory isolation, integrate with the rest of the squad during the first Test. Both are expected to regain full fitness before the second Test that will be played in Karachi 12-16 March,” the PCB said.
“Both Iftikhar and Wasim (chosen due to their all-round ability) will reach Islamabad tonight and start their three-day isolation at the team hotel, after which they will join the rest of the squad after clearing Covid tests.”
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The duo have been an integral part of the Pakistan Test squad since last year.
Hasan (41) was the third-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game behind his teammate and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (47) and India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (54) in 2021 while the all-rounder picked up 10 wickets last year and batted at an average of nearly 40.
Hasan has represented his national team in 17 Tests where he has picked up 72 wickets at a decent average of 21.59 and economy rate of 3.09 while Ashraf has played 13 matches where he scored 632 runs at an average of 35.11 and high score of 91. He has also scalped 22 wickets in the longest format.
The first Test will also mark the first international match Australia have played in Pakistan in over 23 years and thus holds a major significance.
