(L-R) Pakistan check workforce captain Shan Masood, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Kashif Ali and Zafar Gohar. — Reporter
BIRMINGHAM: Cricket season returns to England because the 2025 Rothesay County Championship begins on Friday, 4 April — and this yr, 5 Pakistani cricketers will characteristic within the event.
Shan Masood, the captain of Pakistan’s Take a look at workforce, together with quick bowlers Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Kashif Ali, and spinner Zafar Gohar, will all be in motion.
Masood, Hasan, and Gohar may even be a part of the squads for the Vitality T20 Blast event, which begins in June after the primary spherical of County Championship matches. Masood and Hasan shall be obtainable solely after finishing their commitments with PSL franchises, whereas Abbas shall be obtainable for six matches — three in Might and three in September.
Younger pacer Kashif has joined Kent however will not be a part of the squad for his or her event opener in opposition to Northamptonshire. Left-arm spinner Gohar will characteristic at Lord’s for Middlesex of their opening match.
Notably, Gohar shall be enjoying as a neighborhood participant, having now obtained British citizenship.
Under is a short profile of the Pakistani gamers set to play on this yr’s County Championship:
Shan Masood
Pakistan Take a look at workforce captain Masood will signify Leicestershire County Cricket Membership throughout all three codecs this yr. Now 35, Masood has been a daily within the County Championship in current seasons.
He loved a spectacular debut season with Derbyshire in 2022, scoring 1,832 runs throughout 28 matches, which helped earn him a recall to the Pakistan nationwide squad.
He subsequently joined Yorkshire for 2 seasons, the place he led the workforce again to Division One in 2023. That yr, he scored 720 runs, following 520 runs in 2024.
Masood will be a part of Leicestershire — often known as the Foxes — on the finish of Might, in time for the Vitality Blast opener on 31 Might. With no Take a look at matches scheduled for Pakistan throughout this era, he’s anticipated to remain for your complete season.
Hasan Ali
Proper-arm quick bowler Hasan returns to Warwickshire for a 3rd consecutive yr and is anticipated to stay with the membership till the tip of the season.
Regardless of earlier stints being interrupted by harm and nationwide obligation, Hasan has turn out to be a fan favorite at Edgbaston.
In 2023, he took 24 wickets within the County Championship throughout the first half of the season. Although he missed the beginning of the T20 Blast as a result of harm, he recovered and performed a couple of matches earlier than departing on the finish of his contract.
In 2024, he returned to Warwickshire, however after simply a few video games, he was recalled to Pakistan’s white-ball squad for the collection in opposition to England.
He performed 5 matches within the T20 Blast, claiming 10 wickets, earlier than an elbow harm dominated him out for the remainder of the season.
Hasan will rejoin the Bears’ squad on 29 Might, simply forward of the T20 Blast, and is on the market to play in all codecs.
Mohammad Abbas
Quick bowler Abbas will signify Nottinghamshire County Cricket Membership this season. The 34-year-old beforehand performed for Hampshire from 2021 to 2024, changing into a stalwart of the County Championship.
In 47 matches for Hampshire, he claimed 180 wickets at a powerful common of 19.26 and a strike fee of 48.13.
His constant county type earned him a recall to Pakistan’s squad for the tour of South Africa final yr. Abbas had additionally beforehand performed for Leicestershire in 2018–19, the place he took 79 wickets in two seasons.
Although he initially signed with Nottinghamshire for the 2020 season, the deal fell by way of as a result of Covid.
Now, he is lastly set to debut for Notts, having signed on to play six County Championship fixtures — three in Might and three in September.
Kashif Ali
Rawalpindi-born pacer Kashif has been signed by Kent County Cricket Membership for the 2024 season. Kashif, who made his Take a look at debut earlier this yr in opposition to the West Indies, shall be obtainable in April and Might as cowl for normal Australian pacer Wes Agar.
This marks Kashif’s first stint in county cricket. Since his first-class debut in 2021, he has taken 110 wickets in 35 matches. Though he has joined the Kent squad, he has not been included within the line-up for his or her opening recreation in opposition to Northamptonshire.
Zafar Gohar
Lahore-born left-arm spinner Gohar will play for Middlesex this season as a neighborhood participant, having obtained British citizenship. Now 30, Gohar has represented Pakistan internationally, making his ODI debut in 2015 in opposition to England and his Take a look at debut in 2021 in opposition to New Zealand.
He has additionally performed for Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United within the PSL. Gohar joined Gloucestershire in August 2021 for the rest of that season’s County Championship.
After impressing, he signed a full-season contract and went on to play 34 first-class matches, taking 118 wickets. In 2022, he was Gloucestershire’s main wicket-taker with 47 scalps.
In 2024, he signed with Middlesex for the 2025 season as a neighborhood participant. Zafar shall be in motion at Lord’s in Middlesex’s opening match in opposition to Lancashire.
