Since debuting as a teenager in early 2019, Hasnain has played 18 T20Is and eight ODIs for Pakistan
The addition of Hasain, the 21-year-old who once bowled a 155kph delivery in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), comes on the back of English quick Saqib Mahmood starring in his BBL debut on Sunday with 4 for 22 in Thunder’s 53-run win over Brisbane Heat.
Since debuting as a teenager in early 2019, Hasnain has played 18 T20Is and eight ODIs for Pakistan and was part of their squad for this month’s limited-overs series against West Indies.
He struggled in his sole T20I match of the series on December 16 with figures of 0 for 49 from four overs in Pakistan’s seven-wicket victory. But the ODI leg of that tour was postponed due to Covid-19 cases among West Indies’ squad, freeing up Hasnain to play for Thunder.
Hasnain has the distinction of being the youngest bowler ever to take a hat-trick in a T20I match, when he achieved the feat as a 19-year-old against Sri Lanka in Lahore.
“He bowls fast, easily at 150 km/h,” Thunder allrounder Ben Cutting said, having played alongside Husnain for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). “He’s a lovely young kid, and his team back home is keen for him to learn about the game and to also come out here and bowl fast.
“[Mohammad] is going to love bowling in Australia. We have faster pitches and bigger boundaries – conditions that are far more conducive to bowling fast than they are in Pakistan.”
Hasnain will add extra firepower for Thunder, whose pace bowling struggled to contain Melbourne Stars’ high-octane batting line-up in two losses this season. Emerging spinner Tanveer Sangha has held the attack together during Thunder’s inconsistent start but the inclusion of Mahmood lit a fuse in Thunder’s much-needed victory at the Gabba.
Thunder’s next match is against crosstown rival Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth and writes on sports for the Guardian and mailerreport