Hasan Ali, once a standout performer following his exceptional display in the 2017 Champions Trophy, has seen a decline in his cricketing journey over the last four years.

The setback came when Naseem Shah, a pivotal component of Pakistan’s fast bowling attack alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, suffered a shoulder injury during the 2023 Asia Cup. This injury ruled Naseem out of the forthcoming World Cup, scheduled in India.

With Naseem no longer available, Pakistan faced the daunting task of selecting his replacement for the World Cup. Their choice fell upon Hasan Ali, who had risen to prominence by earning the Player of the Series accolade in the 2017 Champions Trophy.

This decision prompts an essential question: was Hasan Ali’s inclusion in the World Cup squad a well-considered move, or did circumstances compel Pakistan’s hand?

Hasan Ali’s journey since the 2019 World Cup has been a rollercoaster ride. After an expensive outing against India at Old Trafford in Manchester during the World Cup, where he conceded 84 runs in a single league match, Hasan Ali endured a prolonged absence from ODI cricket, only returning after a hiatus of 21 months.

His comeback featured a notable five-wicket haul against England at Lord’s, marking his reentry into the 50-over format. However, his consistency wavered, and he made sporadic appearances, often vanishing from the ODI scene.

Since the 2019 World Cup, Hasan Ali has participated in a mere seven ODIs, accumulating nine wickets at an average of 42.44. Apart from the standout performance against England, his contributions have been modest, raising doubts about his suitability for a major tournament like the World Cup.

In the face of these challenges, Pakistan found themselves with limited options, as chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq acknowledged during the squad announcement. Inzamam conveyed a sense of helplessness, citing the injury woes of several fast bowlers, including Naseem Shah.

Inzamam, however, showed faith in Hasan Ali, highlighting his impressive performances for the Dambulla Aura in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023. Hasan Ali claimed eight wickets, including two three-wicket hauls, in just five matches, rekindling hope in his capabilities.

The paucity of viable alternatives made Hasan Ali an apparent choice. Pakistan’s fast bowlers have picked up 197 wickets since the 2019 World Cup, with the lion’s share (78.68 percent) attributed to Rauf, Shaheen, Naseem, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. The rest of the fast bowlers, including Hasan Ali, have contributed significantly fewer wickets.

Inzamam cited the urgent need to find a bowler who could partner Shaheen Shah Afridi with the new ball, and Hasan Ali seemed to fit the bill. His ability to make an impact with both the new and old ball, coupled with his team-oriented approach and energetic presence, weighed in his favor.

Hasan Ali’s career trajectory has been marked by numerous hurdles over the past four years, including a pivotal dropped catch during the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2021. With his selection for the World Cup, Hasan Ali now faces the challenge of reigniting his international career on one of cricket’s grandest stages.

As the tournament unfolds, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to cross swords in Pallekele on Thursday, promising further excitement and intense competition on the Asia Cup stage.

“ODIs heavily hinge on the trio at the top �?Imam, Fakhar, and Babar. However, Pakistan continues to grapple with fortifying their middle-order lineup,�?Wahab concludes.

Dhananjaya de Silva emerged as the top-scorer with a valiant 57 runs before Pakistan wrapped up the innings in the second session. Number eight Ramesh Mendis also made a useful contribution in the lower order with 27 runs before falling to Abrar Ahmed.

Sri Lanka faced early trouble, finding themselves at 36-4 when play began 30 minutes late due to overnight and early morning rain. De Silva, known for his strong performance in the first Test with scores of 122 and 82, led the counter-attack with a quickfire knock. He formed a crucial partnership of 85 runs with Dinesh Chandimal, who contributed 34 runs.

Naseem Shah, who secured three wickets, broke the partnership when he had Chandimal caught by Imam-ul-Haq. Abrar Ahmed soon joined the action, taking two quick wickets, including that of de Silva, to dampen Sri Lanka’s hopes of a comeback.

De Silva displayed impressive form, reaching his 13th Test fifty and striking a six off Abrar before falling victim to the same bowler, getting caught at mid-wicket. His innings of 68 balls featured nine fours and a six.

Sri Lanka’s opening batsman, Nishan Madushka, started with a four but was run out without adding to his score after being called for a quick single by skipper Dimuth Karunaratne. Left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi soon removed Kusal Mendis for six, while Naseem Shah dismissed Sri Lanka’s experienced batsmen, Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne, in quick succession.

Pakistan’s Babar Azam-led team emerged victorious in the rain-affected opening Test, defeating Sri Lanka by four wickets in Galle.

Earlier, this record was owned by former Aussie pacer Ryan Harris. In his first five matches, his number of wickets was 17. Apart from this, Tiger pacer Mustafizur Rahman took 16 wickets.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar set a unique world record by taking five wickets three times in a row in the first five matches of his debut. Where he is alone so far. Nasim had the opportunity to sit next to Walker. He stopped with 3 wickets in the second ODI against New Zealand. As a result, Nasim did not sit next to Walker.

According to Pakistani media, Nasim will take time to recover after being diagnosed with pneumonia. So Pakistan will not get him in the remaining two matches of the series. The remaining two matches of the series will be played on Friday (September 30) and October 2.

Not only the Tour of England but there are also concerns about getting Nasim in the tri-series organized with Bangladesh and New Zealand before the T20 World Cup. The series will begin on October 7 in New Zealand. The Pakistan team will fly to New Zealand on October 3 to play this series. The final of the series will be held on October 14.

Since the star is unable to play the England series that ended on The 2nd, it is almost impossible for him to fly to New Zealand with the team on the 3rd.

The PCB said that the board’s medical panel will take a decision on whether Nasim will be able to play in the tri-series after seeing his physical condition improve. Nasim, who played in the first match of the ongoing series against England, was rested for the next three matches. He was supposed to return to the game in the fifth match, but due to pneumonia, he did not play again.

“Naseem Shah has been diagnosed with pneumonia and is under the supervision of a medical panel. The medical panel will decide whether he will be able to play in the upcoming matches and whether to go to New Zealand. ‘

But even after recovery, former Pakistani pacer Aqib Javed does not want Shaheen in the World Cup. He thinks that Shaheen’s game in the World Cup will not be right. Aqib Javed thinks that Shaheen’s career will end due to another major injury if he takes the field in the World Cup.

In a recent event, Akib said, ‘Fast bowlers like Shaheen Afridi are not born every day. My advice for Shaheen would be to not play in the upcoming T20 World Cup because Shaheen is much more important than this World Cup.