In a significant roster change, Pakistan has included Hasan Ali in their ODI World Cup squad, taking the place of the injured Naseem Shah, who is expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
Pakistan has also introduced an additional leg-spinner, Usama Mir, to the squad. Usama Mir made his ODI debut earlier this year against New Zealand but was not initially part of the Asia Cup lineup. The pace attack for Pakistan was spearheaded by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Wasim, with Mohammad Haris named among the reserves. The spin-bowling all-rounder, Mohammad Nawaz, retains his spot in the squad, while Faheem Ashraf misses out.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s chief selector, commented on the situation concerning the fast bowlers, stating, “Naseem was injured, and he was our primary bowler, which was unfortunate. Additionally, Hasnain is nursing an ankle injury, and Ihsanullah is also unavailable due to injury. If you consider Hasan Ali’s performances in the LPL and other matches, he has consistently outperformed many others. He brings a wealth of experience and has excelled in major international events representing Pakistan.”
