Hasan dropped for Netherlands tour, Asia Cup

LAHORE: Pakistan on Wednesday dropped under-performing fast bowler Hasan Ali for the tour of the Netherlands and the Asia Cup later this month.

The 28-year-old was player of the tournament in Pakistan´s Champions Trophy win in 2017.

But Hasan took just three wickets in two Tests in Sri Lanka last month, claimed only three wickets for 222 runs in his last three One-day Internationals and went wicket-less in two of his last three Twenty20 Internationals.

Chief selector Mohammad Waseem said Hasan needed a break. "Hasan has been given a break from international cricket and he has been replaced by Naseem Shah," Waseem said in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement.

Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi will also rest for the three ODIs against the Netherlands which take place on August 16, 18 and 21. He will come back for the six-team Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates beginning on September 28.

At a press conference, Waseem said: “We have only made changes that were necessary. Both the competitions are important for us and, as such, we have picked our best available players in consultation with the captain and head coach.“Salman Ali Agha has been recalled to the ODI side after he performed well in the past two Pakistan Cup tournaments, averaging 40.33 and 48.8, respectively. He also gives Babar Azam an additional bowling option,” said Waseem.

There will be five changes in the team travelling from the Netherlands to the UAE for the Asia Cup. Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Usman Qadir will replace Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

A training camp will be held in Lahore from August 6 to 11 during which the players will engage in two 50-overs intra-squad matches. The side will depart for Amsterdam in the wee hours of Friday (tomorrow). The T20I players will join the squad in Dubai for the ACC T20 Asia Cup on August 22.

Pakistan squad for Netherlands ODIs: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zahid Mehmood

Pakistan squad for T20 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir —with input from agencies.