LAHORE: Already struggling in the bowling department, Pakistan suffered a big blow on Thursday when upcoming paceman Hasan Ali was ruled out of the first Test against West Indies due to injury.

The first Test of the three-match series is scheduled to begin in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday.

A press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday categorically said the 23-year-old Hasan was still recovering from his adductor muscle injury in the groin giving him no chance to play the first Test.

“Hasan Ali has been recovering well and is on track with his recovery from his adductor muscle injury in the groin. He has been committed to rehabilitation and we are happy with his progress to date. He will make a successful return to full training over the coming days, and regain appropriate match fitness to return to play,” the PCB press release stated.

It is important to note there that the Pakistan camp is already worried over the poor form of their frontline pacers — Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir — during the ongoing tour of the West Indies. Furthermore, head coach Mickey Arthur’s request for pacer Rahat Ali has been turned down by chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Alarming for Pakistan is their mediocre show in the three-day practice match against an ordinary-looking West Indies President XI that ended in Jamaica earlier this week. The touring team’s bowlers were mauled by President’s XI batsmen who piled up a first-innings total of 419 and then again did well in the second innings to end the proceedings at a solid 152-2 in the drawn tie.

The President XI bowlers also fared impressively dismissing a full-strength Pakistan for a paltry 192 in their only innings of the match.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2017