Pakistan suffered a significant setback when pace bowler Hasan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf were ruled out of the first Test against Australia through injuries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hasan has a muscle strain and Ashraf an injured hamstring and will miss the Test starting in Rawalpindi from Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said spinning allrounder Iftikhar Ahmed and fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Junior will replace the injured duo.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Both Iftikhar and Wasim (chosen due to their all-round ability) will reach Islamabad tonight and start their three-day isolation at the team hotel," said a PCB release.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The pair will join the rest of the squad after clearing covid tests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hasan, 27, has been anchoring Pakistan's bowling attack along with Shaheen Shah Afridi in the last 12 months.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He took a ten-wicket haul in the last Test in Rawalpindi, against South Africa in February, before taking nine wickets in Harare against Zimbabwe two months later.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He finished the year with 41 wickets in eight Tests, just behind India's Ravi Ashwin (54) and Shaheen (47).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ashraf has been a star with both bat and ball, allowing Pakistan to use two spinners in matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
PCB hoped Hasan and Ashraf would regain fitness ahead of the second Test in Karachi starting from March 12.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The third and final Test is in Lahore from March 21.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia will also play three one-day internationals and a T20I on the tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan's revised squad for first Test:<\/p>\r\n\r\n