"He was enjoying himself" - Dale Steyn on Hasan Ali’s bowling exploits in PAK vs NED match of 2023 World Cup
Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali delivered an impressive spell on his ODI return, registering figures of 7-1-33-2 against Netherlands in the ongoing 2023 World Cup at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday (October 6).
Assessing the seamer's performance, former speedster Dale Steyn stated that while Ali didn't bowl at express pace, he was on point with his line and length. He also pointed out how the senior player seemed to enjoy himself on the field.
"He (Hasan Ali) hasn't taken the new ball for a while now. It disrupts things when you lose your usual fast bowling unit that opens the bowling. But he came in and did a wonderful job. He didn't really try and get the pace up to that 140-145 KMPH. He was very effective on his line and length," Steyn said in a YouTube video shared by ESPNcricinfo.
"The other thing that I enjoyed about him was that he had a good smile on his face. It looked like he was enjoying himself. When you are enjoying yourself, things come a little bit easier," he added.
It is worth mentioning that Hasan Ali returned to Pakistan's ODI playing XI after a gap of 16 months. He was added to the Men in Green's squad for the ICC event after Naseem Shah was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Pakistan kicked off their World Cup campaign by securing an 81-run win over Netherlands, successfully defending a 286-run total.
"He is their go-to guy after Shaheen Afridi" - Wasim Jaffer after Haris Rauf's three-wicket haul in PAK vs NED 2023 World Cup match
During the same discussion, former India opener Wasim Jaffer lauded Pakistan's Haris Rauf for his impactful performance against Netherlands.
Rauf was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers in the encounter, bagging three scalps. Jaffer opined that the tearaway quick is skipper Babar Azam's go-to guy, along with pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi.
He said:
"He (Haris Rauf) bowls the hard length. The fuller length that he bowls is really quick. When he pitches it in the right areas, he is always in the game. He uses that short ball really well. So, he has got all the tricks up his sleeve, and he is their go-to guy after Shaheen Afridi. However, bigger challenges lie ahead."
Pakistan will next be seen in action on Tuesday, October 10, when they take on Sri Lanka in match number eight of the 2023 World Cup at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.