KARACHI: Pakistan Sunday suffered a significant setback when pace bowler Hasan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf were ruled out of the first Test against Australia through injuries.
Hasan has a muscle strain and Ashraf an injured hamstring and will miss the Test starting in Rawalpindi from Friday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said spinning allrounder Iftikhar Ahmed and fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Junior will replace the injured duo.
“Both Iftikhar and Wasim (chosen due to their all-round ability) will reach Islamabad tonight and start their three-day isolation at the team hotel,” said a PCB release.
The pair will join the rest of the squad after clearing covid tests.
Hasan, 27, has been anchoring Pakistan’s bowling attack along with Shaheen Shah Afridi in the last 12 months.
He took a ten-wicket haul in the last Test in Rawalpindi, against South Africa in February, before taking nine wickets in Harare against Zimbabwe two months later.
He finished the year with 41 wickets in eight Tests, just behind India’s Ravi Ashwin (54) and Shaheen (47).
Ashraf has been a star with both bat and ball, allowing Pakistan to use two spinners in matches.
PCB hoped Hasan and Ashraf would regain fitness ahead of the second Test in Karachi starting from March 12.
The third and final Test is in Lahore from March 21.
Australia will also play three one-day internationals and a T20I on the tour.
Pakistan’s revised squad for first Test:
Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood.
Pakistan lose Hasan, Ashraf ahead of first Australia Test
https://arab.news/2yjmc
Pakistan lose Hasan, Ashraf ahead of first Australia Test
- Iftikhar Ahmed, pacer Mohammad Wasim Junior will replace them
- The first of the three Test matches will begin in Rawalpindi on Friday
Palace to face Bosnians Zrinjski in Conference League play-offs
- Palace missed out on a top-eight finish in the league phase
- Their opponents finished the league phase in 23rd place with a record of two victories
PARIS: Crystal Palace will face Bosnian side Zrinjski for a spot in the UEFA Conference League last 16 after the sides were drawn together on Friday.
Palace missed out on a top-eight finish in the league phase, which would have guaranteed them direct progression to the round of 16, but were on the seeded half of the draw for the knock-out round playoffs.
As a result, the Eagles will play the second leg at their Selhurst Park home.
Their opponents finished the league phase in 23rd place with a record of two victories, one draw and three defeats.
Should Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup winners progress, they will face either Bundesliga outfit Mainz or Cyprus’ AEK Larnaca in the next round in March.
Two-time Conference League runners-up Fiorentina will face Jagiellonia of Poland, while Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar drew Noah of Armenia.
Lech Poznan will take on Finland’s KuPS Kuopio and Swiss side Lausanne meet Czechs Sigma Olomouc in some of the other choice play-off fixtures.
The 1st legs take place on Feb. 19 and the 2nd will be played on Feb. 26.
Friday’s knock-out round play-off draw in full:
Zrinjski (BIH) v Crystal Palace (ENG)
KuPS Kuopio (FIN) v Lech Poznan (POL)
Shkendija (MKD) v Samsunspor (TUR)
Sigma Olomouc (CZE) v Lausanne (SUI)
Noah (ARM) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Jagiellonia (POL) v Fiorentina (ITA)
Drita (KOS) v Celje (SVN)
Omonoia (CYP) v Rijeka (CRO)
