Asia Cup 2022 Squads: Babar Azam to lead full-strength Pakistan team, Hasan Ali dropped due to THIS reason

Pakistan made the big decision to drop pacer Hasan Ali from the Asia Cup 2022 squad and picked young tearaway Naseem Shah in his place while the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained in both squads.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. (Source: Twitter)

World’s No. 1 T20 batter Babar Azam will lead a full-strength Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2022 in UAE and before that the three-match ODI series against the Netherlands in Rotterdam. With the Asia Cup 2022 fixtures announced on Tuesday, the most-anticipated clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take place on August 28.

Pakistan made the big decision to drop pacer Hasan Ali and picked young tearaway Naseem Shah in his place while the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained in both squads.

Pakistan announced their 16-player squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures against the Netherlands from 16 to 21 August and a 15-member side for the T20 Asia Cup 2022, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates from 27 August to 11 September.

Pakistan's squads for Netherlands ODIs and ACC T20 Asia Cup

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— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 3, 2022

“Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been named in both the squads in place of Hasan Ali, while Salman Ali Agha, who toured England in 2021 for the ODIs, has been recalled. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained in the ODI and T20I squads, and his rehabilitation programme will be overseen by the team trainer and physiotherapist, who will also decide on his return to international cricket,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release stated.

“There will be five changes from the Netherlands ODI squad to the ACC T20 Asia Cup side. Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood will be replaced by Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Usman Qadir,” the release added.

Squads:

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

Pakistan squad for T20 Asia Cup 2022: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.

Player Support Personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Shaun Tait (bowling coach), Drikus Simmon (trainer/strength & conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Ibrahim Badees (media and digital manager), Lt Col (retd) Asif Mahmood (team security manager), Talha Ejaz (team analyst), Malang Ali (team masseur) and Dr Najeebullah Soomro (team doctor). Col Muhammad Imran will replace Lt Col Asif Mahmood as team security manager for the ACC T20I Asia Cup.

“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. Hasan has been given a break from international cricket and he has been replaced by Naseem Shah. He is express fast and can give further impetus to the fast bowling department, which already boasts Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shahnawaz Dahani. Naseem has not played any international white-ball cricket, but he has demonstrated with the red-ball that he is an attacking option with good pace and controlled swing,” Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said in the PCB statement

“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,” he added.

The training camp for the players will be held in Lahore from 6-11 August, during which they will also play two 50-over matches. The side will depart for Amsterdam in the wee hours of Friday, 12 August. T20I players will join the squad in Dubai for the ACC T20 Asia Cup on 22 August.

Group A – India, Pakistan and Qualifier (one of UAE, Kuwait and Hong Kong to qualify)

Group B – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

28 Aug – Pakistan v India, Dubai

2 Sep – Pakistan v Qualifier, Sharjah

3-9 Sep – Super Four Stage

11 Sep – Final, Dubai