Mohammad Hasnain

Mohammad Hasnain is a Pakistani cricketer who represents the national team. He maintains a reputation as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket, having been timed at speeds exceeding 150kmh.

Early life and education

Hasnain was born on 5 April 2000 in Hyderabad. His family consists of six members and traces its ancestral roots back to Alwar, which is located in the Indian state of Rajasthan. His father, Mohammad Hussain, operates a cattle feed shop in Hirabad, Hyderabad. Although Hussain was a cricketer who played as a wicket keeper and fast bowler, he had to abandon the sport to support his large family.

Career

Hasnain made his first-class debut for Pakistan Television on 1 September 2018 during the 2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He transitioned to Twenty20 cricket when he debuted for the Quetta Gladiators in the 2019 Pakistan Super League on 27 February 2019. During this tournament, he recorded the fastest delivery at 151 km/h. He holds the distinction of being the first quick bowler to emerge from Hyderabad, Pakistan.

In March 2019, he joined the Sindh squad for the 2019 Pakistan Cup. He also represented Sindh in the 2019–20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament. His international rise continued in September 2019 when he played for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League. During that stint, he was clocked at 155.1 km/h, which remains the fastest ball ever recorded in the CPL.

His international debut occurred on 24 March 2019, when he played against Australia in an ODI. He later made his Twenty20 International debut against England on 5 May 2019. On 5 October 2019, Hasnain achieved a hat-trick against Sri Lanka. At 19 years and 183 days old, he became the ninth bowler globally to record such a feat in a T20I match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract in the Emerging Players' category in May 2020. He was part of the 29-man squad for the tour to England in June 2020, but he tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 June 2020. On 3 November 2020, he secured his first ODI five-wicket haul by taking 5/26 against Zimbabwe. He was subsequently included in the 35-man squad for the tour to New Zealand in November 2020.

Hasnain joined the Sydney Thunder for the Big Bash League in January 2022. During a match against the Sydney Sixers, Moises Henriques questioned his bowling action on the field. Following reports of an illegal action, he was recalled to Lahore for testing and received a ban from bowling. He was cleared to return to competition on 9 June 2022 after lowering his elbow flex from 17-24% to 12-13%. He also signed with Worcestershire for the County Championship in June 2022.

He was selected as a replacement for Shaheen Afridi for the Asia Cup on 22 August 2022. He had previously been named in the squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Awards and recognition

Hasnain earned the man-of-the-match award during the PSL final against Peshawar Zalmi. He recorded bowling figures of 3/30 off 4 overs to secure this honor. He was the first local player to receive this specific award in a PSL final.