Hasan Ali: Pakistan fast bowler set to miss Warwickshire's first game

Warwickshire head coach Mark Robinson expects to be without fast bowler Hasan Ali for the opening game of the County Championship season because of his Pakistan commitments.

The 29-year-old has been named in a 30-player squad for a fitness camp between 26 March and 8 April.

Ali has taken 240 wickets in 140 matches for Pakistan in all formats.

The Bears start the season against newly promoted Worcestershire at Edgbaston on Friday, 5 April.

"We're a bit unsure when Has is going to arrive due to the ever-changing events in Pakistan," Robinson told BBC WM Sport.

"I don't think he's going to be here for the first game."

There is, however, compensation in that Liam Norwell is "touch wood, fully fit" to start the season, according to Robinson, having missed the entire 2023 campaign because of a back injury.

The 32-year-old former Gloucestershire paceman has not bowled in a first-class match since his amazing 9-62 on the final day of the 2022 Championship season which kept the Bears in Division One.

"That's a big bonus [compared] to what we had last year," Robinson said.

"The key for us is keeping our best bowlers fit throughout the year. Our strength in depth got a bit exposed [last year] and the secret is to keep getting stronger every year."

Warwickshire finished fourth in last summer's Championship, with Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth shouldering the seam-bowling burden, sending down a combined total of more than 700 overs and taking 54 and 53 wickets respectively.