Lancashire Cricket on Wednesday announced the signing of Pakistan international seamer, Hassan Ali, for the first six matches of the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship.
The 27-year-old, who is a proven wicket taker in red ball cricket, with 72 wickets at an average of 21 in Test matches and an overall First-Class tally of 244 wickets at 23, had first played for Pakistan in August 2016 in a One Day International before making his T20 International debut against England, at Emirates Old Trafford.
He then made his Test bow against the West Indies in early 2017 and has gone on to feature 17 times for his country in red ball cricket, proving a difficult proposition for batters with his constant tight lines and variations. The right-arm medium-fast bowler has since gone on to claim six five-fors at Test level including against number one ranked side, New Zealand.
Hassan was named in Pakistan’s squad for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England and played a key role as Pakistan were crowned champions. Hassan spearheaded the Pakistan attack, taking 17 wickets to finish as leading wicket taker – and Player of the Tournament – while only conceding 4.29 runs per over.
He will arrive at Emirates Old Trafford on 1 April and will be in contention to make his English county debut against Kent at Canterbury on 14 April. Hassan will be available until after Lancashire’s match against Essex which starts on 19 May at Emirates Old Trafford.
Speaking after agreeing to join Lancashire Cricket, Hassan said: “I am very excited at the prospect of playing county cricket in England for the first time in my career.”
“Emirates Old Trafford is a stadium which holds special memories for me, after making my T20 International debut against England there in 2016. I am very proud to follow in the footsteps of Wasim Akram, a Pakistan legend, who always talks so highly of his time with Lancashire. I can’t wait to join up with the squad in April and I hope to make a significant contribution in the games that I play,” he added.
On the other side, Lancashire Head Coach, Glen Chapple, said: “We are delighted to have signed Hassan for the first six matches of this summer’s County Championship. We’ve been carefully assessing our options and looking to add the right overseas player to help us achieve our goals.”
“Hassan is a high-quality player and has a fine record in First-Class and Test match cricket. We believe that his red ball skills will complement our bowling attack nicely and that the experience he has gained at international level can bring a lot into our dressing room. We look forward to welcoming him to Emirates Old Trafford in April,” added he.