Babar Azam backs Hasan Ali to stage Pakistan comeback

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has backed Hasan Ali to stage a comeback soon, after the all-rounder was dropped from the team for the ODI tour of the Netherlands and the Asia Cup T20 tournament in the UAE later this month.

Hasan has been struggling in white-ball cricketer for more than a few seasons. After a victorious campaign at the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, where he was player of the tournament, Ali has fallen down the pecking order. Since 2019, he has picked up 16 wickets in 18 ODIs and 27 scalps in 21 T20s. His worst moment came during the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year where he dropped Australia's Matthew Wade during the chase in the semi-final. The batsman then hit three successive sixes to secure a place in the final, which the Aussies won.

However, captain Azam said Hasan is a team player and will be backed to succeed.

“I know Hasan Ali is not in form, but it’s not like that he has to prove anything,” Azam 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.”

Australia's Marcus Stoinis, right, and Matthew Wade celebrate winning the T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, November 11, 2021. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ali's indifferent form forced selectors to include uncapped quick Naseem Shah in the white-ball format. With pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi injured, but still included the squad to be monitored, Pakistan's pace attack will be an inexperienced one. Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani are the other quicks in the team.

“We’re taking a couple of doctors on the way to take