Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar

Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar is a world-class left-arm spinner who's made an emphatic rise into Afghanistan's national setup, earning Test and ODI debuts in quick succession and establishing himself as one of the country's premier spin talents. He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in July 2023 before transitioning seamlessly into red-ball cricket with a Test debut against Sri Lanka in February 2024, and it didn't take him long to make his mark — in just his second Test, he spun Afghanistan to victory with a brilliant 5-64 against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.

His rise to the international stage was never really in doubt for anyone following his domestic form. He holds the record as the equal-quickest to 100 first-class wickets in over 70 years, built on a remarkable 2017/18 campaign that saw him take 101 wickets at 19.75, including eight five-wicket hauls, two ten-wicket match hauls and a best of 7-70. His consistency across both editions of the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-Day Tournament — 55 wickets one season, 46 the next — is what first put him firmly on the selectors' radar.

He's kept up that domestic dominance ever since, now sitting on 215 first-class wickets at 20.47, with strong returns in List A (87 wickets at 23.10) and T20 cricket (44 wickets at 22.38) to go with it. Though primarily a bowler, he's shown he can hold a bat too, with two first-class fifties to his name, and is increasingly seen as a developing spin-bowling all-rounder rather than a pure specialist.

That excellence has translated to England as well. Playing for Lytham in the Liverpool League, Akbar put together an astonishing season of 85 wickets at just 6.67, reeling off a streak of twelve five-wicket hauls along the way — his final five figures alone read 7-26, 7-22, 9-36, 6-43 and 7-26, the kind of spell that speaks to how comprehensively he can take a game away from a batting line-up.

Now firmly established as a Test bowler for Afghanistan, Akbar is looking at his next step with real ambition — eyeing global franchise opportunities alongside potential Club and County cricket in England. He's available subject to national duty commitments and already has accommodation sorted in London (SW17 9TN), though while London-based, he's open to opportunities across the country and brings the pedigree of a genuine international match-winner and a thorough professional.