Hasan

Ali

Hasan Ali Biography and Career

One country that has produced some of the best fast bowlers in cricket is Pakistan, and Hasan Ali is another name added to the country's rich fast bowling legacy. Born on July 2, 1994, in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Hasan began receiving cricket coaching at the age of 10. Since his younger years, he had something Pakistan loves in its pacers—raw passion and an ability to make the ball talk.

Hasan wasn’t the tallest or the quickest, but his accuracy made him stand out. His performances in junior cricket earned him a spot in the regional under-16 setup at the age of 14, and from there, he worked his way into first-class cricket.

Hasan came into the limelight in 2015 when, at the National T20 Cup, he grabbed eight wickets in four matches under the captaincy of Shoaib Malik. Soon, he found himself in the Pakistan A squad.

He made his ODI debut against Ireland on August 18, 2016. Although he went wicketless in his five overs, Hasan showed glimpses of his potential in his debut match. But it was in 2017 that Hasan truly announced himself on the world stage.

During the Champions Trophy in England, he turned into Pakistan’s bowling spearhead almost overnight. After a tough opening game against India, he bounced back in style, ripping through batting lineups. He finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets, which included a match-winning spell of 3/19. He won both the Golden Ball and the Player of the Tournament awards.

Hasan made his Test debut against the West Indies in May 2017, and while he wasn’t an express pacer, he showed he could extract movement and trouble batters with his smart variations. One of his best Test performances came against South Africa in Rawalpindi in 2021, where he picked up 10 wickets in the match, helping Pakistan win their first Test series against South Africa since 2003. 

Hasan's debut in the shortest format of the game came against England in 2016. He picked up 2-24 in his first outing in T20Is. Like many fast bowlers, Hasan’s career has had its share of injuries and dips in form. After his Champions Trophy heroics, he struggled with fitness issues and found himself in and out of the national team. 

When Naseem Shah got injured before the 2023 World Cup, Hasan was brought back into the squad. He picked up nine wickets in six games, but Pakistan had a disappointing campaign.

In the Pakistan Super League, he started with Peshawar Zalmi in 2016 and became one of their top performers. In 2019, he finished as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 25 wickets. In 2022, he moved to Islamabad United, and in 2023, he was traded from Islamabad United to Karachi Kings in exchange of Imad Wasim. By 2024, he had become only the second bowler in PSL history to take 100 wickets, following Wahab Riaz.

Beyond his skills with the ball, Hasan has been a crowd favourite for his passionate celebrations—his signature explosive "bomb" celebration became a trademark. Whether he's charging in for a fiery spell or making a lower-order contribution with the bat, he brings an infectious energy to the game.

Beyond cricket 

In August 2019, Hasan Ali married Samiya Arzoo, an Indian national hailing from Chandeni Village in the Nuh district of Haryana. Samiya holds a B.Tech degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Manav Rachna University in Faridabad and has worked as a flight engineer with Emirates Airlines. Their wedding, held in Dubai, garnered significant media attention. The couple welcomed their daughter, Helena Hassan Ali, in April 2021. Samiya shared the joyous news on her Instagram account, expressing their happiness: "Meet the new love in our lives, Helena Hassan Ali, a tiny bit of heaven sent from above, a sweet little miracle to treasure and love."

Hasan Ali Records 

Hasan Ali Test records 

10-wicket haul (2021): Achieved against South Africa in Rawalpindi in 2021. His 10 wickets helped Pakistan win their first Test series against South Africa since 2003.

Hasan Ali ODI Records

• Fastest Pakistani Bowler to 50 ODI Wickets (2017): In October 2017, Hasan Ali became the fastest Pakistani bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, achieving this milestone in just 24 matches. This milestone came against Sri Lanka. 

• Leading Wicket-Taker in ICC Champions Trophy (2017): Hasan Ali emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, claiming 13 wickets.

• Most wickets in a calendar year (2017): Took 45 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 17.04. 

Hasan Ali PSL Records

• Leading Wicket-Taker in PSL 2019: Representing Peshawar Zalmi, Hasan Ali finished as the highest wicket-taker in the 2019 Pakistan Super League season, with 25 dismissals.