Hasan not the best new ball option: Aaqib Javed

Hasan Ali is not the most potent new ball option in the absence of Naseem Shah and Pakistan cricket establishment has erred in not grooming a quality fast bowler for desperate times, feels former pacer Aaqib Javed. Aaqib, who is currently a fast-bowling coach with PSL side Lahore Qalandars, has played a pivotal role in the emergence of Haris Rauf as a quality white ball operator.

“If you look at the new ball pairing, they haven't groomed anyone in the last 12 months. The selectors didn't know if not Naseem, who could be the third new ball bowling option. They didn't try anyone during the Asia Cup,” Aaqib said.

“Hasan Ali, if you look at his record, has never been outstanding with the new ball. So, on days, if Shaheen (Shah Afridi) gets stuck, there could be problems," Aaqib, a key member of the 1992 World Cup winning squad, assessed. For the record, although Hasan scalped four wickets against Sri Lanka, he gave away 71 runs in his quota of 10 overs.

The other option in the squad is Muhammed Wasim Junior, who is currently sitting in the dugout. "If you look at Wasim junior, there are a lot of games where he hasn't even completed his quota of 10 overs."

Aaqib believes in straight talk and feels that with Naseem ruled out, only Afridi has that aura to scare the daylights out of batters. "If you remember the opening Asia Cup game and Shaheen's spell, the Indian batters were not playing Shaheen's deliveries but was trying to play Shaheen. That aura…Pakistan's bowling is missing now, that overall impact I would say," said the Aaqib, who till date enjoys best bowling figures of 7/33 in the history of Indo-Pak ODIs.