There's a ghost of a chance an 18-year-old would compel Sir Viv Richards and Kevin Pietersen to extol his virtues on Twitter. But it would be a real jolt for those legends to realize that the boy wonder they lavished praise on at their time with Quetta Gladiators, left-arm spinning all-rounder Hassan Khan, has only managed 13 first-class games from that momentous day about five years back.
The career trajectory of the former Pakistan U19 captain has had its fair share of peaks and troughs. Battle hardened in the dust bowls of Karachi, he was billed as the next big thing in Pakistan cricket with the success he garnered at the Quetta Gladiators during their 2017 and 2018 campaigns. His penultimate ball six off Keiron Pollard to take the Gladiators over the line in a tense run chase catapulted him to instant fame in Pakistan albeit for a short time. Since then, puzzlingly, Hassan has only managed seven more games in the next four seasons at the PSL before being overlooked at the 2023 season draft.
"I had just captained the Pakistan U-19 team and yes that six in that run chase got me the recognition in Pakistan. People started calling me over as a chief guest for different events and fundraisers and my family felt very happy. You can say I got a go very early in my career at the PSL but I believe in destiny. You are going to get what destiny has in store for you no matter what anyone says or does," said Hassan.
While many of Khan's contemporaries at the U19 level went on to graduate to higher honors like Shaheen Afridi and Musa Khan, Hassan failed to have a breakthrough domestic season that would make him rise to prominence. Being left without a PSL contract Hassan naturally made moves towards greener pastures and followed a few of his more illustrious countrymen to Minor League Cricket in America.
Turning out for the Chicago Kingsmen in his maiden minor league stint, Hassan has been prolific with his all-round abilities. He has reveled in being the 'crisis man' for the Kingsmen. Despite batting in the lower middle order, he has blazed away at an average of 110 at a strike rate of 180 in 5 innings with 3 half centuries, eclipsing star teammates like Fawad Alam and Ravi Bopara. He replicated the herculean effort with the bat with the ball as well, stifling the opposition on batting conducive wickets at an economy of 4.9 and 11 wickets over five innings.
"It's good to be out here and performing the way I have in the USA. The extra responsibility I as a professional has been bestowed with gets the best out of me. It is the self-belief within me, there's not much pressure to perform from the Kingsmen management and we are well taken care of. Pays to play in such a set up" added Hassan.
The Kingsmen have identified Hassan as a domestic player in the minor league and such glaring success, his experience and pedigree as an all-round cricketer sets him up to be the hottest pick in the Major League Cricket draft for 2024.
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