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[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Sufiyan Muqeem: The Left-Arm Wrist Spin Enigma

You ideally need one at no. 7. Rest should be 4 complete bowlers (2 spinners + 2 pacers). Saim will be the 6th option.
Shadab will bat at 6 and Nawaz at 7 and abrar at 9 so I dont think another spinner will get picked in the xi.
 
Once again Sufiyan is proving his worth in the Asia Cup Rising Stars T20.

Took 3 wickets in 4 overs with an ECO of 3.0 in the SF !
 
Yes, Nawaz and Faheem have played well recently and have won some games. But we should remember that they are unlikely to win big matches especially against India. There’s a reason they’re viewed as Tried and tested failures, and their trajectory appears to be declining. Now with Shadab back in the picture it feels like we’re right back where we were 8–10 years ago.

India has already developed new players and bowlers, while our bowling options are still stuck with the same losing combination.

Sufyan is extremely talented and at times almost unplayable. He could follow a path similar to Kuldeep Yadav, but unfortunately we only bring him in for a few games and then drop him for the likes of Nawaz, Faheem and now Shadab. These “bits and pieces” players are not going to win big tournaments. Many of them are past their prime ...if they ever peaked at all.

If T20 is considered too risky for Sufyan, why not give him a consistent run in ODIs? He has genuine wicket taking ability which is exactly what you need in the 50-over format. Salman Mirza is another very good option but we seem hesitant to trust him in big games.
 
Derbyshire Falcons have international spinners, Sufyan Moqim and Mohammad Ghazanfar, for the 2026 Vitality Blast.

Moqim will join for the first-half of the group stage, before Ghazanfar returns to the Club for the second-half and knockout stages, once his IPL commitments have ended.

With best international T20 figures of 5-3 for Pakistan, Moqim’s left-arm wrist spin has made him a sought after player in the franchise world and he worked with Mickey Arthur during the most recent Bangladesh Premier League.

Ghazanfar,19, was the Falcons’ leading wicket-taker in the 2025 competition, claiming 16 wickets including an exceptional spell of 2-5 in four overs against Yorkshire in July.

Despite his young age, Ghazanfar has almost 100 career wickets across all-formats and was named in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024.

Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, said: “Sufyan is a rising star in T20 cricket and someone I’ve already had the pleasure of working with already, so I’ve seen his quality and resilience in pressure situations first-hand.

“When it comes to recruitment, the person matters just as much as the player and we’ve signed a gem in Sufyan. He’s hungry for success and I know he will be a fantastic addition to our team for the first half of the Vitality Blast.

“Mohammad continues to go from strength in his development and we’re pleased to welcome him back for the second half of the 2026 Vitality Blast.

“He’s performing at a high level around the world, but he was clear with me over the winter that he wanted to come back to Derbyshire, and it’s exciting we’ve managed to get the deal done.

“Signing overseas players with so many tournaments overlapping can be difficult, so we’ve done well to sign two current international spinners to ensure we have balance in our squad through the whole campaign.”

Moqim added: “I’m excited to be joining the Falcons and working with Mickey again, he’s a great coach and I’m looking forward to playing in England.”

Ghazanfar said: “I loved playing for Derbyshire Falcons last summer, the squad and coaches made me feel at home and I wanted to come back in 2026.

“I feel like I’m getting better all the time and I hope to show that with Derbyshire. We want to improve on last season’s results and challenge for the Vitality Blast trophy.”

 
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