KARACHI: Express pacer Mohammad Hasnain will replace injured Shaheen Shah Afridi in Pakistan’s squad for this week’s Asia Cup, the country’s cricket board said on Monday.
Pakistan suffered a major blow at the weekend when Shaheen was ruled out of the Twenty20 tournament in the UAE and the following T20 international home series against England with a knee injury.
The 22-year-old Hasnain will join the squad from Britain, where he has been playing in The Hundred tournament.
He was banned from bowling internationally in January after his action was reported during a stint in Australia’s domestic Big Bash League, but was cleared to return in June after remodelling his action.
Hasnain was again embroiled in controversy last week when Australian allrounder Marcus Stoinis appeared to question the legality of his action during a match in The Hundred.
The Pakistan squad will reach the UAE later on Monday after winning the three-match one-day international series against the Netherlands.
Pakistan will take on arch-rivals India in their opening Asia Cup match in Dubai on Sunday.
Pakistan’s revised squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.
Hasnain replaces Shaheen in Pakistan’s squad for Asia Cup games in UAE
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Hasnain replaces Shaheen in Pakistan’s squad for Asia Cup games in UAE
- Pakistan suffered a major blow after Shaheen was ruled out of T20 tournament with a knee injury
- Hasnain, 22, will join the squad from Britain, where he has been playing The Hundred tournament
Pakistan deputy PM speaks with Iranian FM as Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles and drones
- Ishaq Dar expresses concern over evolving regional situation as both officials agree to remain in contact
- Pakistan earlier reminded Tehran of its mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia during diplomatic outreach
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday amid escalating tensions in the Gulf, including recent missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia that were intercepted by the Kingdom’s air defenses.
The call comes as Islamabad remains in contact with both Tehran and Gulf states to prevent the widening Iran conflict from spilling further across the region, particularly after attempted strikes on Saudi territory, a sensitive development for Pakistan, which signed a mutual defense pact with the Kingdom last year.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Dar raised concerns about the evolving regional situation during the conversation.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke this evening with the Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The DPM/FM expressed concern over the evolving regional situation. The two agreed to remain in touch on the developments,” it added.
The ministry did not share details of the conversation, though it came amid fast-moving developments in the region, with Saudi Arabia saying its air defenses intercepted multiple missiles and drones early on Friday.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s adviser on political affairs Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan was in contact with Iran to discourage attacks on Gulf countries and prevent misunderstandings.
“Such attacks should not be carried out from Iran’s side,” he told Geo TV.
Prior to that, the deputy prime minister told Pakistan’s Senate that Islamabad had engaged both Iran and Saudi Arabia at the outset of Iran’s retaliation in the region, reminding Tehran of its defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and conveying assurances from Riyadh that Saudi territory would not be used against Iran.
Pakistan says its administration is striving to end the conflict, though the United States-Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered the war and led to its spillover, have only intensified.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday some countries had begun mediation efforts but insisted Tehran would defend its sovereignty.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on his Truth Social platform as the confrontation shows little sign of easing.
