Hasan last played an ODI in June 2022 and last played for Pakistan in the second Test against New Zealand in Karachi in January this year.
Pakistan’s World Cup squad announcement was delayed by several days as the PCB took stock of a disappointing Asia Cup campaign where they finished bottom of the Super Four group, following defeats to India and Sri Lanka. The board also waited on a second opinion on Naseem’s injury prognosis, though positive news on that front has not been forthcoming.
The PCB released a statement on Thursday saying chairman Zaka Ashraf had met the captain Babar Azam, vice-captain Shadab, technical committee members Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez, as well as head coach Grant Bradburn and bowling coach Morne Morkel. While the details of any discussions was left vague, it appears there were lengthy deliberations on the make-up of the World Cup squad amid intense speculation around both the timing and nature of Pakistan’s squad announcement. As a further point of intrigue, Hafeez resigned from the technical committee on the eve of the squad release.
Pakistan squad for World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Hasan Ali