Pakistan captain Babar Azam is backing Hasan Ali to return to international cricket after the fast bowler was dropped for the one-day international series against the Netherlands and the T20 Asia Cup.
“I know Hasan Ali is not in form, but it’s not like that he has to prove anything,” Babar said in Lahore on Thursday as Pakistan prepared to leave for the Netherlands.
“I support Hasan Ali because he’s a team man … domestic cricket is coming up, he’ll play that and hopefully make a strong comeback.”
Pakistan faces its Dutch hosts in the first of three ODI matches on Tuesday at Rotterdam.
Hasan’s indifferent form in white-ball cricket finally forced selectors to drop the fast bowler and include uncapped pacer Naseem Shah in the white-ball format.
Hasan has played three ODIs over the last year, taking just two wickets at a staggering average of 76.50. He had a below-par Pakistan Super League where he took nine wickets in games and proved expensive with an economy rate of 10.84.
The fast bowler also didn’t do well at last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, picking up only five wickets at an average of 41.40.