‘Tough times make comebacks sweeter’: Hasan Ali reacts to team backlash, takes aim at Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah and Naseem Shah | Cricket news

Pakistan’s Hasan Ali extended an encouraging message to star batsman Babar Azam and pace duo Shaheen Shah Afridi i Naseem Shah after being omitted from the squad for the second and third Tests against England at home.
After extensive talks held by a newly formed selection committee, some of Pakistan’s most renowned players will miss the second Test in Multan against England with a host of changes.
Babar spearheads numerous changes made by a newly formed selection committee immediately following Pakistan’s humiliating defeat in the first Test on Friday, which came despite posting more than 550 runs in their first innings.
Bowling duo Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are also out of the squad, as is batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who dealt with an illness and was later taken to hospital during the first Test, will also sit out, according to the ICC.
Taking to X, Hasan said that “tough times make comebacks sweeter” and told his teammates that they are “champions” and have done wonders for the country.

“Hard times only make comebacks sweeter! My brothers, you are champions! You have done wonders for Pakistan and will continue to do so. Keep believing and you will come back stronger than ever Inshallah!,” Hasan posted on X.
Haseebullah, Mehran MumtazKamran Ghulam, fast bowler Mohammad Ali and spinner Sajid Khan come into the squad.
Babar made scores of 30 and five in the two innings of the match, he conceded lbw to Chris Woakes in the first innings and edged wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off the bowling of Gus Atkinson in the second. His last 50-plus score in the format was back in December 2022, and in his last 17 Test innings, he averages just 20.70. In his last eight innings at home, where the runs have flowed for others, Babar averages just 18.75.
In the first Test, England became the first team ever to take a first innings lead of more than 200 runs after conceding more than 550 in the first innings. Pakistan, on the other hand, became the first team to lose a Test match by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs in the first innings thanks to England’s 823/7, the fourth-highest total of Highest Test innings of all time and highest of the 21st century. . Shaheen could only get one wicket while Naseem got two. Both did a lot of racing.
The result moved England into fourth place Trials World Championship table to keep their hopes of a final place alive, consigning Pakistan to last place in the table with a possible points percentage of just 16.67 percent.
Pakistan squad for second and third Test: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (porter), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.