Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Hassan Ali and George Hill at the crease during Yorkshire’s Rothesay County Championship draw against Warwickshire at Scarborough this summer.
George Hill is looking forward to having “mischievous man” Hassan Ali back at Headingley next season and into 2028.
Pakistani fast bowler Hassan has re-signed for two more seasons with Yorkshire after a superb first summer with the county in 2026.
Hassan, 32, claimed 27 wickets in 12 Vitality Blast matches as the White Rose reached the quarter-finals. He was the leading wicket-taker in the competition, claiming a pair of four-wicket hauls in matches against Leicestershire along the way.
He struck at least once in each of his Blast appearances and played twice through the middle of the summer in the Rothesay County Championship.
A bowler with pace, skill and oodles of experience, Hill is relishing the prospect of a Hassan return to White Rose colours.
The all-rounder said: “He was an absolute legend this year. He’s very loud and a very funny man. He’s a bit of a mischievous man is old Hass!
“He was brilliant around the changing room. And that’s even before we talk about his cricket.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Hassan Ali congratulates AJ Tye on a catch to dismiss Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed at Headingley in this summer’s Vitality Blast.
“Obviously, his bowling is unbelievable.
“Having somebody like him, who bowls the hard overs – in the powerplay and at the death – is fantastic. His skillset is incredible.
“He swings it up top and gets it reversing at the death.
“His batting is also very handy. A couple of times, he won us games from nowhere.
“So, we’re all delighted that he’s coming back, and hopefully he’s buzzing as well.”
As a bowler still learning his trade with the white ball in hand, Hill knows the 57-time T20 international is an ideal man to learn from.
He added: “I didn’t have a huge amount of conversations with him about that, but just watching him in matches and training was unbelievable.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Hassan Ali will be back at Headingley for the next two years and is Yorkshire’s first overseas signing of the winter.
“His skill armoury is a lot bigger than mine.
“He can bowl 90mph and hoop it, but he was also quite simple with things as well.
“At the top, he tried to swing it. If it wasn’t, he’d just hit a hard length. Then, at the death, he’d just use all of his skills.
“He’s got a really good slower ball which sits deep in his hand. It will be interesting to chew his ear off about how he goes about that.
“Then he just nails his yorkers.
“He’s got one of the best yorkers going around.”
