Worcestershire have announced the signing of Pakistan fast bowler Muhammad Hasnain for the final few fixtures of the 2022 County Championship. The 22-year-old pacer has ample International experience under his belt, featuring in 26 games for Pakistan.
Although he has yet to make his Test debut, early signs point towards a successful red ball career for the young gun.
Halfway into the campaign, Worcestershire are fifth in the County Championship Division Two. They have claimed two wins from their seven fixtures and have accumulated 103 points. The new signing, Muhammad Hasnain, should be available for selection for the away fixture against Middlesex in mid-July.
Head coach Alex Gidman is hugely excited to have the young Pakistan pacer join the squad. He believes that Hasnain’s ability to touch 90mph consistently will add another dimension to the Worcestershire bowling attack.
“To have someone of his calibre joining us for the last six games is really exciting.
Azhar knows him very well and helped us do a bit of research. He spoke very, very highly of him as a young man and as a character and his skill set as well,” said Alex Gidman.
“He is going to be exactly what the group needs, some real power and energy. The longer the season goes on, the harder it becomes, so to have some fresh impetus when we really need it is going to be good for the guys. He bowls very quick, so a different skill set to what we have, and he will hopefully give us a chance of winning more games,” he added.
Muhammad Hasnain has six First-Class games under his belt, where he has picked up ten wickets. The Pakistan bowler will undoubtedly look to impress in his first stint in the County Championship, which could open up opportunities for him in the Pakistan Test side.
As for Worcestershire, they will host Glamorgan in their next game, starting on June 26 (Sunday). They were held to a draw in their last encounter by Durham. However, they lost out on some vital points after Durham claimed a crucial first innings lead.