- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,569
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With his second season in County cricket well underway, Hassan Ali’s love affair with playing in England appears to show no bounds. “It’s always a pleasure to be in England and I have great memories of playing cricket here. I had my first overseas tour here with Pakistan ‘A’ in 2016 and I will never forget the Champions Trophy tournament in 2017 where I announced myself on the world stage. I have had some of the best moments of my career in England and hopefully that will continue this summer.”
Hassan’s debut season last year in County Cricket saw him take 25 wickets in just 5 County Championship matches for Lancashire at an impressive average of 20.60. Whilst at a different team this year, he hopes that the lessons and momentum from 2022 can be carried forward this year at Warwickshire.
“Last season at Lancashire was a fantastic experience. It was a very useful introduction to County Cricket and something that I am looking to build upon this season with Warwickshire. I’m lucky that so far in County Cricket I have had the opportunity to play for 2 of the biggest sides. Warwickshire have made a very good start and that’s pleasing. Being only 3 points behind Surrey sets us up nicely and to win 3 out of our first 5 matches is great for the confidence of everyone and hopefully we can build on this start.”
According to Hassan, one of the main reasons for his good start in County cricket this year is the warm welcome he has received at the Club which has helped him settle down very quickly to life in Birmingham.
“Everyone at Warwickshire has welcomed me with open arms and I feel like I have been here for years. I don’t feel like I am an overseas player and the way they have accepted me, it’s like I was born and bred in Birmingham. It’s a fantastic set up at Edgbaston and Birmingham is a vibrant city and I’ve settled in really well. The location is perfect, the fans are great, my team-mates and coaching staff have been very supportive and given the diversity of the city, sometimes I feel like I am back home in Pakistan, especially given the number of fantastic Pakistani restaurants.”
With his trademark ‘generator’ celebration, and a maiden fifty to his name, Hassan is busy establishing himself as an important cog in the Warwickshire wheel.
“I’m delighted with my form; 17 wickets in 4 matches where Warwickshire have won 2 of the matches I’ve been involved in, so yes, so far, so good. I made a 50 the other day when the team needed it and I always feel that it’s vital to perform when your team really needs you to.”
As Hassan explains, a healthy competition exists amongst the Pakistani cricketers including Azhar Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zafar Gohar who are plying their trade this year in County cricket.
“It’s important for Pakistan cricket to have a number of players in County cricket. I feel that to develop as a cricketer, you should play in as many countries as possible. We’ve not got a whatsapp group set up just yet, but we remind each other of how we are doing and keep an eye on each other’s performances, and it’s a friendly rivalry amongst us.”
With the appointment of Derbyshire Head Coach Mickey Arthur as Team Director for Pakistan, Hassan Ali hopes that his performances in County cricket can help renew his relationship with the then Head Coach of the 2017 Champions Trophy winning squad.
“I’m sure Mickey is keeping an eye on all the Pakistani boys playing County cricket. I made my debut under him and played under him for 3 years so he knows what I am capable of. We have always had a good relationship and it’s great he’s back. He always supports the players and I’m hoping that he can take Pakistan cricket to the next level, and I am a part of that journey. I have always said that I want to play all 3 formats for Pakistan. My performances weren’t good enough for a period and I was rightly dropped. But I feel that I am now back on track and hopefully a good stint in County cricket can help me get back into the mix for Pakistan. I’ll just have to do my best, perform consistently and then it’s down to the selectors and team management if they want me.”
With this year’s T20 Blast tournament on the horizon, Hassan is looking forward to bringing his eccentric brand of cricket to the fore. And in true Hassan Ali style, he is not holding back when it comes to personal and team targets.
“The T20 Blast is a tournament that really excites me. Big crowds, a carnival atmosphere, lots of colour and some high-quality cricket. It’s my type of cricket. My aim is clear, and that is to be the bowler of the tournament, have an impact at key times and help Birmingham Bears win the competition.”
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