Asia Cup 2022: Mohammad Wasim Jnr ruled out due to left side strain; Pakistan Cricket Board name Hasan Ali as replacement

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Wasim Jnr has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 due to a left side strain. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have named Hasan Ali as a replacement.

There were concerns surrounding the right-arm pacer's participation after he complained of back pain following a practice session on Wednesday. The medical team has officially deemed him unfit to compete after his MRI scans indicated an injury.

The 21-year-old bowler became the second Pakistani player to succumb to an injury ahead of the tournament. His rehabilitation will be assessed by the PCB Medical Advisory Committee, keeping the upcoming seven-match T20I series against England following the Asia Cup in mind.

Earlier, Pakistan leading pacer Shaheen Afridi was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury. 21-year-old Mohammad Hasnain was named as his replacement, but a second injury on the trot to the bowling unit has forced the PCB to seek more reinforcements.

Following internal discussions, the team management requested for Hasan Ali as a replacement, which was approved by the chief selector. Once the Event Technical Committee gives the green light, Hasan Ali will make his way to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The 28-year-old was working at the National High Performance Centre in Rawalpindi over the last three weeks. He was not considered for selection in the original Asia Cup squad as well as the preceding ODI series against the Netherlands as the selectors wanted to give him a break from international cricket.

Hasan Ali has been a member of the national team across formats for some years now. He was once a key member of the Pakistan team in the limited-overs formats and even made a mark in Test cricket.

However, a slight dip in form in T20 cricket in recent months led selectors to keep him away from international cricket for a while. Still, with his experience and proven set of skills, he could well make an impact in the tournament. A good performance in the Asia Cup may even get him a spot in the side for the T20 World Cup.

The team in green still have a potent young fast bowling unit under their disposal. Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Hasan Ali forge a threatening quartet as Pakistan look to win their first Asia Cup title since 2012.

---

Updated Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2022

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Usman Qadir.

The Babar Azam-led team will take on India in their opening clash of the Asia Cup 2022 on August 28 (Sunday) at the Dubai International Stadium.

Will Hasan Ali be able to find a place in the playing XI? Let us know what you think.