Babar Azam: “We need to understand that he is a back-up because of his experience. It is not because of just one person that he is selected. There are seven selectors who selected him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam has defended the selection of fast bowler Hasan Ali, saying “there are seven selectors who selected him”.
Addressing all the talk about why Hasan was recalled to the T20I team for the three-match T20I series against Ireland, Azam noted that the 29-year-old “is a back-up because of his experience”.
He pointed out that it was not one person who decided to bring Hasan back, reiterating that it was a collective choice made by the selection committee.
“I am hearing for quite some time that why is he (Hasan Ali) back? Selectors have also made it clear that he is there as [a] back-up. It is not that he is part of the 15-member squad [for the World Cup]. We need to understand that he is a back-up because of his experience. It is not because of just one person that he is selected. There are seven selectors who selected him,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Hasan played in one T20I against Ireland and went wicketless while conceding 42 runs off the three overs he bowled.
Pakistan are now playing a four-match T20I series against England and find themselves 1-0 down after losing the second match by 23 runs.
After this, they will be in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
[TS_Poll id=”35″]