Shaheen Afridi, a top pacer for Pakistan, was forced to withdraw from the upcoming Asia Cup owing to a knee injury he sustained while fielding in the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday.
The strong left-armer will continue to play for Pakistan’s white-ball team while he recovers in order to be fully fit for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup later this year in Australia. Hasan Ali is likely to find his place, despite not being included by PCB initially.
The right-armer was strangely absent when selection committee members initially selected Pakistan’s team for the Asia Cup, thus a swift recall should not be ruled out. Due to Ali’s inconsistent play since the T20 World Cup last year, the selection committee decided not to include him in their initial 15-player squad for the six-team Asia Cup. However, the right-armer has a track record of success on the international stage and would probably fit in right away if given a second chance by selectors.
