Pakistan recalls Hasan Ali for tour to Ireland and England, delays announcing T20 World Cup squad

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan recalled fast bowler Hasan Ali as backup for the injured Haris Rauf for Twenty20 series against Ireland and England as it searches for the right pace combination for next month’s T20 World Cup.

Selectors on Thursday said the 15-member World Cup squad will be announced after the first T20 against England on May 22. The International Cricket Council has set May 24 as the deadline for participating teams to finalize their squads.

Pakistan will play three T20s against Ireland at Dublin from May 10-14 before heading to England for four T20s from May 22-30. The World Cup in the United States and Caribbean starts June 1, and Pakistan's opener is June 6.

Ali has taken 60 wickets in 50 T20s but hasn’t played in the format for Pakistan since the Asia Cup in September 2022. He has been playing for Warwickshire in the English County Championship Division One and came under consideration after taking 14 wickets in the Pakistan Super League while representing Karachi Kings.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, wicketkeeper-batters Mohammad Rizwan and Azam Khan and middle-order batter Irfan Khan all are recovering from injuries and were included in the 18-member squad.

Rauf has been out of competitive cricket since dislocating his shoulder in February during the PSL but has been bowling at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, where he’s going under rehabilitation.

Azam missed out on the drawn series against New Zealand because of a calf muscle injury he sustained on the eve of the first T20 at Rawalpindi. Rizwan and Irfan both were ruled out of the last two T20s against the Black Caps because of hamstring injuries they sustained during the third game.

“We still have time to finalize our World Cup squad and we want to look at fitness of a few players,” said Wahab Riaz, one of seven members on the selection committee.

“Hasan was under consideration and we have given him clarity that he is the backup for Haris Rauf in case he (Rauf) doesn’t fully recover.”

Leg-spinner Usama Mir and fast bowler Zaman Khan, who both featured in the series against the Black Caps, were cut. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha was recalled as an option in a spin department that also features Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Imad Wasim and Iftikhar Ahmed.

“We understand Usama and Zaman will be disappointed,” Riaz said. “They are quality cricketers and have long careers ahead of them. They need to continue to focus on their cricket so that they are available, if required.”

The selectors have given another chance to top-order batter Usman Khan, who shifted his allegiance to Pakistan, his country of birth, resulting in a five-year ban from representing the Emirates Cricket Board. Usman scored only 59 runs in four matches against New Zealand with the top score of 31, and struggled to make an impact in the drawn series.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Members of Pakistan cricket team's selection committee, from left to right, Abdul Razak, Mohammad Yousaf and Wahab Riaz give a press conference to announce squad for upcoming T20 cricket matches against Ireland and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Pakistan recalled fast bowler Hasan Ali as backup for injured Haris Rauf for the Twenty20 series against Ireland and England as it searches for the right pace combination for next month's T20 World Cup. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's and New Zealand players shake hands on the end of the play of the fifth T20 international cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

HOUSTON (AP) — Fast-moving thunderstorms pummeled southeastern Texas on Thursday for the second time this month, killing at least four people, blowing out windows in high-rise buildings, downing trees and knocking out power to more than 850,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area.

Officials urged residents to keep off roads, as many were impassable and traffic lights were expected to be out for much of the night.

“Stay at home tonight, do not go to work tomorrow, unless you’re an essential worker. Stay home, take care of your children,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in an evening briefing. “Our first responders will be working around the clock.”

The mayor said four people died. At least two of the deaths were caused by falling trees, and another happened when a crane blew over in strong winds, officials said.

Streets were flooded, and trees and power lines were down across the region. Whitmire said wind speeds reached 100 mph (160 kph), “with some twisters.”

Hundreds of windows were shattered at downtown hotels and office buildings, with glass littering the streets below, and the state was sending Department of Public Safety officers to secure the area.

“Downtown is a mess,” Whitmire said.

There was a backlog of 911 calls that first responders were working through, he added.

The storm system moved through swiftly, but flood watches and warnings remained for Houston and areas to the east.

Flights were briefly grounded at Houston's two major airports. Sustained winds topping 60 mph (96 kph) were recorded at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

About 855,000 customers were without electricity in and around Harris County, which contains Houston, according to poweroutage.us. The county is home to more than 4.7 million people.

The problems extended to the city's suburbs, with emergency officials in neighboring Montgomery County describing the damage to transmission lines as “catastrophic” and warning that power could be impacted for several days.

The Houston Independent School District canceled classes Friday for all its 274 campuses.

Heavy storms slammed the region during the first week of May, leading to numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes.

A boy walks past a large tree that fell on a home after heavy wind and rain ripped through the region Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Houston. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Transmission power lines are down near the Grand Parkway and West Road after a storm Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Transmission power lines are down near the Grand Parkway and West Road after a storm Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP)