Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Hasan Ali misses out, Abid Ali, Nawaz return in Pakistan’s ODI squad

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi were the two noted absentees from the squad. Afridi is suffering from dengue and Ali was ruled out due to a back spasm

Newly-appointed head coach and selector Misbah-ul-Haq straight away sprang into action as Pakistan recalled six cricketers - Abid Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Mohammad Hasnain in their ODI squad for the home series Sri Lanka.

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi were the two noted absentees from the squad. Afridi is suffering from dengue and Ali was ruled out due to a back spasm.

“Hasan Ali misses out his place in the side due to a back spasm. He will undergo rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore,” stated Pakistan Cricket Board in a media release.

The pacer got married to an Indian national in Dubai last month.

“After thorough discussions with the members of the selection committee and meticulous planning, I feel we have put together the best possible squad,” PCB’s official website quoted Misbah-ul-Haq as saying.

“These are the only 50-over matches we have this season and we want to make their optimum use. Over the course of my cricketing career, I have realised there are no easy games and there are no easy opponents in cricket,” he added.

Misbah also termed the recall of the six cricketers as a straightforward call.

“The five boys, who have been recalled, were straightforward selections. Iftikhar Ahmed is a batsman who can also bowl off-spin, providing the captain with necessary bowling depth as Sri Lanka boasts a few left-handers in their ranks. Mohammad Nawaz has been performing well in domestic matches,” Misbah-ul-Haq said.

“Despite their strong performances, Moahmmad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Abid Ali were unlucky to miss out the World Cup squad. This is, however, a perfect opportunity for these players to prove their mettle in international cricket and cement their place in the one-day side,” he added.

Pakistan’s 16-man squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz.

Pakistan is slated to play three ODIs followed by as many T20Is against Sri Lanka. The first ODI will be played on September 27 in Karachi.