Mohammad Hasnain

At first glance, Mohammad Hasnain appeared born to be a Pakistan fast bowler. Hailing from the relative cricketing hinterlands of Hyderabad - him and Sharjeel Khan are the only two international cricketers from the city - Hasnain's sleek, slender frame perched on a two-metre body and front-on action seem primed for high pace bowling.

Hasnain and Naseem Shah emerged as young sensations for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL about the same time; at that stage, Hasnain was arguably the more exciting prospect. As a lanky 18-year-old, he finished among the top ten wicket-takers in the 2019 season, and was rewarded with an ODI call-up for a series against Australia later that month. At his quickest, there is no faster Pakistan bowler around, regularly able to reach and surpass 150kph, and he holds the record for the fastest CPL delivery ever bowled, clocked at 155.1 kph.

In the years since, it has become apparent Hasnain's talents are best exploited in the shortest format. He would prove expensive and ineffective in 50-over cricket, and played only 7 ODI's in the five years after his debut. T20 gigs kept coming thick and fast though, and the following year, he was the second highest wicket-taker at the PSL.

But something elemental about Hasnain's mentality has held him back from truly reaching the obvious potential he exudes. Confidence has never seemed in short supply for Pakistan fast bowlers, but a tendency to shrink in the high-pressure moments rather than rising to meet them has resulted in him proving costly to his side in several key moments. He can be expensive at the death, can lose his rhythm if targeted, and inconsistency with line means there are often pressure-releasing balls in Hasnain's spells.

Poor fortune with injuries has put him out of action for extended periods - a particularly troublesome ankle injury ruled him out for much of 2023. At the BBL in 2021, his action was reported, and he was subsequently banned after he was found to have an illegal action. It was eventually remodelled and he returned six months later, albeit with a slight drop in pace. It has all seen him drop down the Pakistan pecking order, though with all this happening before him not even 25 and with his potential, there is no reason a happier chapter doesn't await Hasnain's career around the corner.