Rookie pacer Hasnain vows to do well in UAE

KARACHI: Emerging rookie speedster Mohammad Hasnain on Friday said that he would try his best to live up to the expectations if given chance in Pakistan’s five-match One-day Series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this month.

“I am very happy that I have been selected in Pakistan’s squad for the One-day Series against Australia. It is a great honour for me. I will try my level best to put in my hundred percent,” the ecstatic 18-year-old quick told ‘The News’ soon after being picked by national selectors in Pakistan squad on Friday.

Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq announced a 16-member Pakistan squad on Friday here at National Stadium for the series against Australia which will begin from March 22 with the first day-night match to be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Resting top six players, including captain Sarfraz Ahmed, seasoned all-rounder Shoaib Malik will lead the side for a crucial series ahead of the ICC World Cup to be held in England next summer.

Hyderabad-born Hasnain, who plays for Pakistan Television in the first-class cricket, praised management of Quetta Gladiators for the way it supported him in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).

“I am thankful to Quetta Gladiators management including Nadeem Omar, skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, coach Moin Khan, Azam Khan and others who backed me a lot,” said Hasnain.Hasnain has emerged as the fastest bowler in the PSL-4. He has pace and good control and has picked up wickets at crucial stages for Quetta Gladiators which have already qualified for the play-offs.

Gladiators manager Azam Khan told ‘The News’ that he and his Media Director Nabeel Hashmi saw Hasnain in Hyderabad and he impressed them.“He was bowling with a decent pace. We told Moin to see the boy. He saw him and told us that he is good. We gave him chance and you see his potential. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed was also impressed with his speed. Today is a great day for Hasnain and for us as the lethal pacer was picked by national selectors in Pakistan team for the series against Australia. It is a great honour for our franchise to give national team a capable bowler at such a young age,” Azam said.

“The best thing in Hasnain is that he does not feel any pressure and this is what a player needs to perform at the major stage. You may have seen him in the PSL, he bowled really well in all the matches he was given chance. I am quite confident he would perform well for Pakistan as well,” Azam said.

Azam said he would be Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar in the days to come.Hasnain has picked up so far five wickets in four matches he has played in the PSL-4. His best figures were 2-32 against Islamabad United.

A former Pakistan Under-19 right-armer last season played a couple of first-class matches, while representing PTV in which he picked three wickets.After highly talented fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who made a permanent place in Pakistan team during the last one-year exposure in all formats, Hasnain is expected to be a useful component of the elite squad pace-battery.