Fawad Ahmed: “First-class cricket can be really beneficial. Hasan Ali’s performance is a prime example of it”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Australia spinner Fawad Ahmed said Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali has benefited hugely from playing first-class cricket.
Hasan made his comeback from recurring back injuries in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he captained Central Punjab.
He finished as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the competition with 43 wickets in nine matches at an average of 20.06.
With the number of wickets he claimed, Hasan had the most wickets among pace bowlers in this year’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
He also got the job done with the bat in the final against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as he smashed an unbeaten 106, which came off 61 balls and included 10 boundaries and seven sixes.
His efforts nearly helped Central Punjab defend their title, but instead, the match ended as a tie and the trophy was shared between the two teams.
In the recent series against South Africa, Hasan took one wicket in the one ODI he played at an average of 76.
He followed that up with seven wickets in the T20 series at an average of 18.71 and an economy rate of 9.35.
However, he wasn’t picked for the first two T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe.
“First-class cricket can be really beneficial. Hasan Ali’s performance is a prime example of it,” Fawad told Cricket Pakistan.
“We should not degrade the first-class and say that it is easy. It is never easy to pick five wickets, even in club cricket.”
Pakistan suffered a shock 19-run defeat in the second T20 International against Zimbabwe as they were bowled out for 99 in their chase of 119.
As a result of this, Zimbabwe secured their first-ever T20 International win over the men in green.
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