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Abrar Ahmed (Pakistani cricketer)

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Abrar Ahmed
Personal information
Born (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 26)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
NicknameHarry Potter[1]
Height6 ft (183 cm)[2]
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm leg spin
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 252)9 December 2022 v England
Last Test3 September 2024 v Bangladesh
ODI debut (cap 248)26 November 2024 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI28 November 2024 v Zimbabwe
ODI shirt no.40
T20I debut (cap 114)18 April 2024 v New Zealand
Last T20I1 December 2024 v Zimbabwe
T20I shirt no.40
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2017-2019Karachi Kings
2017Karachi Whites
2020–21Sindh
2023Islamabad United
2024-presentQuetta Gladiators
Career statistics
Competition Test T20 FC
Matches 7 21 18
Runs scored 52 0 150
Batting average 13.00 0 11.20
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0
Top score 17 0 26
Balls bowled 1,948 474 5,402
Wickets 39 22 104
Bowling average 31.07 27.04 27.74
5 wickets in innings 2 0 6
10 wickets in match 1 0 3
Best bowling 7/114 3/14 7/114
Catches/stumpings 2/– 4/– 10/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo,, 3 January 2023

Abrar Ahmed (born 11 September 1998) is a Pakistani cricketer and leg spin bowler. Ahmed was called up to the Pakistan national cricket team in December 2022 for the series against England at home. On 9 December 2022, he made his Test debut against England in the 2nd Test match of the series in Multan, where he took 7 wickets for 114 runs in England's first innings and 4 for 120 in the second for a 10-wicket haul in his maiden Test.

Early life

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Born in Karachi, Ahmed is the youngest among eight siblings (five brothers and three sisters), with his brother Shahzad Khan previously playing as a fast bowler for National Bank. He is a hafiz, having memorized the entire Qur'an.[3]

He has cited his elder brother as the reason his talent was recognised early on in tape ball cricket. Ahmed describes his mother and siblings as supportive from the beginning, but his father was eventually won over too and is now also supportive of his career. Upon being asked on his father's stance in a 2023 interview, he responded that his father is "very happy now".[4]

An ethnic Pashtun of the Swati tribe, his family moved to Karachi from Shinkiari, a small village located on the outskirts of Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[5]

Domestic career

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A product of the Rashid Latif Academy, he made his Twenty20 debut for Karachi Kings on 10 February 2017 in the 2017 Pakistan Super League.[6] He made his first-class debut on 20 November 2020, for Sindh, in the 2020–21 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.[7] In October 2021, he was named in the Pakistan Shaheens squad for their tour of Sri Lanka.[8] He made his List A debut on 11 November 2021, for the Pakistan Shaheens against the Sri Lanka A cricket team.[9]

Ahmed was picked by Islamabad United at the draft for the 2023 Pakistan Super League.[10] Ahead of the 2024 Pakistan Super League, he was traded to the Quetta Gladiators.[11]

International career

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In December 2022, Ahmed made his debut for Pakistan in the 2nd Test of the series against England. He became the first Pakistani bowler to take a 5-wicket haul in the first session on Test debut, taking 7 for 114 overall in the first innings and 4 for 120 in the second.[12][13] He also became the thirteenth Pakistani bowler to take five-wicket haul on Test debut.[12]

He was then named in the Pakistan squad for the Test series in the series against New Zealand, and in the first innings of the first Test he picked up another 5 wicket haul.

In May 2024, he was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[14]

Abrar Ahmed delivered a stellar performance in the second ODI against Zimbabwe on November 26, 2024, at Queens Sports Club. The debutant spinner took 4 wickets for just 33 runs, playing a pivotal role in restricting Zimbabwe to a modest total of 145 runs. His efforts helped Pakistan equalize the series 1–1 with a commanding 10-wicket victory.[15]

Injury

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Abrar Ahmed endured a prolonged injury attributed to negligence in following medical instructions. Diagnosed with Sciatica during the ICC World Cup 2023, characterized by leg pain and numbness, Abrar failed to adhere to the prescribed recovery plan, worsening his condition. The injury occurred during a practice match in Australia, leading to his exclusion from the Test series. Currently undergoing rehabilitation at Lahore's National Cricket Academy, Abrar will miss Pakistan's upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, emphasizing the impact of non-compliance with medical directives on his playing career.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Rasool, Danyal (9 December 2022). "The Abrar Ahmed school of wizardry: come for the mystery, stay for the legspin". Cricinfo. Affectionately known as "Harry Potter" in domestic circles […]
  2. ^ Husain, Amir (7 November 2020). "Talent Spotter : Abrar Ahmed". PakPassion. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. ^ Raj, Pratyush (9 December 2022). "'Who is Abdul Qadir, never heard of him': Meet Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan's new mystery spinner". The Indian Express. […] another elder brother Shahzad Khan, a fast bowler, represented National Bank in the domestic circuit […] the youngest among eight siblings (five brothers and three sisters), Abrar was more close to his mother. When he turned nine, Abrar's mother asked him to do hifz (memorization of the Quran).
  4. ^ Pakistan Cricket Board. "In conversation with spin sensation Abrar Ahmed". YouTube. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  5. ^ Farooq, Umar (23 November 2022). "Who are Mohammad Ali and Abrar Ahmed?". Cricinfo. He speaks Pashto but is born and raised in Karachi, his family having moved to the city from the north of the country - specifically a small village called Shinkiari, located on the outskirts of Mansehra [...]
  6. ^ "Pakistan Super League, 3rd Match: Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi at Dubai (DSC), Feb 10, 2017". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  7. ^ "11th Match, Karachi, Nov 20-23 2020, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Pakistan Shaheens for Sri Lanka tour named". Pakistan Cricket Board. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  9. ^ "1st unofficial ODI, Dambulla, Nov 11 2021, Pakistan Shaheens tour of Sri Lanka". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Pakistan Super League 2023: After memorable Test debut against England, Abrar Ahmed set to play for Islamabad United". India Today. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Naseem Shah moves to Islamabad United from Quetta Gladiators". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Abrar Ahmed Scripts History With 5-Wicket Haul On Test Debut". Probatsman. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  13. ^ See England’s first and second innings scoreboards at https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-scorecard-live-cricket-score-england-in-pakistan-3-test-series-2022-2nd-test-pken12092022215941
  14. ^ "Pakistan Squad for ICC Men's T20I World Cup 2024". ScoreWaves. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Ayub's 53-ball century levels series after Abrar and Salman strangle Zimbabwe". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Abrar ahmed injury". Jeevay Pakistan. 7 January 2024.
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