Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali has asked his teammates to be cautious when facing Australian star Usman Khawaja in the upcoming three-match Test series. The long-awaited series will begin on December 14 in Perth.
The last time Australia and Pakistan met in a Test series, Usman Khawaja made the difference with the bat. The left-hander had finished the three-match Test series between the two teams in 2022 as the leading run-scorer. In 3 games, he had scored an impressive 496 runs with the help of two centuries and two half-centuries to help his team clinch the series.
Usman Khawaja has been in impressive form in Tests of late and would look to continue his form against Pakistan. Hasan Ali is well aware of the threat that the left-hander represents and has made a suggestion for his teammates. Ahead of the tour, the right-arm pacer said he and his teammates should be careful while discussing on-field plans in Urdu.
He revealed that the Australia opener knows Urdu well and shared the Pakistan team’s playing strategies with the Australian team during a match in Karachi.
“Usman bhai is familiar with Urdu, but after he leaked our strategies to the Australian cricket team in Karachi, we became more cautious. We will make sure not to discuss plans in Urdu in front of him to keep our strategies confidential. We will move a little further away from him to strategize the game,” Hasan Ali said in a recent interview.
Hasan Ali says Usman Khawaja speaks and understands Urdu well, and Pakistan players will try not to speak Urdu when he is around 😂😂🙈 #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/YD6qOBupJY
– Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) December 1, 2023
Hasan Ali on the challenges in Australia:
Additionally, Hasan Ali spoke about the challenges of playing in Australia. Pakistan has gone through a very difficult time in Australia in the last two decades. Since 1999, they have lost 14 Tests in a row in Australia, including five Tests in a row.
“It is not just about Pakistan; All South Asian teams find it difficult to take 20 wickets on tours of Australia. Pitches in Australia differ from those in other cricket-playing countries, and local players’ familiarity with their conditions often poses problems for visiting teams,” Hasan Ali said.
Pakistan will begin a new journey in the upcoming Test series. They will be led by their newly appointed captain Shan Masood.