Kuldeep Yadav’s success lies in his ability to deceive batsmen with his wrist spin. Pakistan has followed suit by including a wrist-spinner, Sufiyan Muqeem, in their Asia Cup squad. The 25-year-old, like Kuldeep, can turn the ball with his wrists, and has consistently taken wickets since his debut for Pakistan. His breakthrough performance against India in the Emerging Asia Cup brought him to the attention of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Muqeem made his international debut for Pakistan in October 2023. In the Emerging Asia Cup final in July 2023, he took 3 wickets for 66 runs in 10 overs, helping Pakistan A defeat India A and win the title. Before India’s senior team won the Asia Cup in September of the same year, Muqeem had already made an impact by causing India A to lose. This led to his selection in the senior Pakistan team. He played his first T20 match for Pakistan against Hong Kong in October 2023, taking 2 wickets.
In his T20 International career, Muqeem has taken 25 wickets in 17 matches, with an economy rate of 6.29. His best performance includes taking 5 wickets for just 3 runs, which he achieved against Zimbabwe last year.
With India yet to face Muqeem, he could be a surprise element for Pakistan in the September 14 match. He has the potential to be a significant threat to India in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.