Former Pakistan U19 captain Hassan Khan earns USA call-up

USA have drafted globetrotting T20 allrounder Hassan Khan into their squad for the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series against UAE and Namibia, handing the former Pakistan U19 captain the opportunity to finally wear an international cap nearly a decade after he was tipped for bigger things in the country of his birth.

Khan replaces fast bowler Ali Khan, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. The left-arm spinning allrounder turns 28 on October 16 and arrives into the USA set-up after a remarkable reinvention that has transformed him from an overlooked Pakistan prospect into one of the most sought-after allrounders on the T20 franchise circuit.

Khan captained Pakistan at the 2018 U19 World Cup, leading a side that included future Pakistan internationals Shaheen Shah Afridi and Musa Khan. Eight years later, while several of his contemporaries went on to represent Pakistan, Khan's own first taste of senior international cricket is now set to arrive in USA colours.

Khan found the second act of his career in many ways in the United States. After coming to a dead end back home, he joined American cricket. Once regarded among Pakistan's brightest young allrounders, opportunities had gradually dried up. Khan made sporadic appearances in the Pakistan Super League after his initial breakthrough, but he was not selected in the PSL draft for subsequent seasons, and he eventually looked to the United States for better opportunities.

During the 2024 Major League Cricket season with the San Francisco Unicorns, Khan made an immediate public announcement. He took 10 wickets for 17.36 in nine matches and scored 204 runs at an average of 40.80 while batting at 143.66. He was named MLC's Domestic Player of the Year because he was the only player in the tournament to score more than 200 runs and take double-digit wickets.

What stood out was Khan's ability to walk in down the order and find the boundary almost immediately. Khan's fearless and clean ball-striking from the start had made him one of the most valuable commodities in Twenty20 cricket. His breakout year was followed by an even more explosive 2025 campaign. For the Unicorns, Khan hit 17 sixes in 11 innings and scored 225 runs at a strike rate of 187.50. Across those two MLC seasons, he struck 429 runs from only 262 balls, clearing the ropes 30 times and finding the boundary on another 31 occasions. His strike rates across the two seasons jumped from 143.66 in 2024 to 187.50 in 2025.

Those performances paved the way for opportunities far beyond American cricket. Khan then got to play in the Caribbean Premier League, the ILT20, and the Big Bash League, among other leagues. The journey eventually took him back to where his career had once stalled. After struggling for a few seasons to earn a roster spot in the PSL, Khan joined the Hyderabad Kingsmen in 2026.

His call-up to the United States now adds another chapter to a career that seems ready to turn a new page. In the lead-up to the crucial World Cup Qualifiers in February, the USA will hope that Khan can make an immediate impact and establish himself as a significant addition to their team.