Babar Azam Virat Kohli Shaheen Afridi for India Pakistan. Image Credits: AFP/X
Sufiyan Muqeem, Pakistan’s left-arm wrist-spinner, has been a victim of selection controversies. Despite a skill set few cricketers in the world possess, he has repeatedly found himself left out when it matters most.
Muqeem was left out of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad of Pakistan, and the frustration led him to win the Player of the Tournament in the Pakistan Super League with a stunning 22-wicket campaign.
Now, days later, the continuous ignorance and snubs, Muqeem has sought inspiration from none other than the Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli.
A Meteoric Rise Of Sufiyan Derailed by Injury
Muqeem first grabbed headlines in July 2023 during the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup final, where his 3 for 66 helped Pakistan ‘A’ defeat India ‘A’.
That performance fast-tracked him to a senior T20I debut against Hong Kong at the Asian Games in October 2023. Just as his career was taking flight, a serious knee injury struck, requiring surgery that kept him out for the first half of 2024.
He returned in style later that year. On 3 December 2024, against Zimbabwe, he produced a national T20I record, 5 wickets for just 3 runs. Weeks later, he made his ODI debut in South Africa. The left-arm wrist-spinner was no longer a promising talent; he was a record-holder.
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The PSL Triumph And The Snubs
Muqeem’s 2026 Pakistan Super League campaign for Peshawar Zalmi was nothing short of dominant. He topped the wicket charts with 22 scalps at a remarkable average of 14.40, consistently breaking partnerships in the middle overs.
His performances powered Zalmi to the title, and he was named Player of the Tournament. The logical next step appeared to be a guaranteed spot in the upcoming bilateral series played by the Men in Green, but PCB seemed to have ignored the talent.
Sufiyan Muqeem Shares Virat Kohli’s Quote
Turned down by the management multiple times, Sufiyan took to his Instagram handle after the snub from the Pakistan squad for the Bangladesh series.
He shared a popular quote of Virat Kohli on his Instagram story where Virat says, “Dene wala upar wala hi hai. Baqi aap jitne marzi haath paon maar lo, jab us ne dena hota hai tabhi deta hai.”
This story was, however, in favour of his hard work since he was included in the ODI squad against Australia after he was added alongside the presence of Shadab Khan.
Clearly reflecting his disappointment towards the management, Sufiyan Muqeem added to the frustration by sharing the idol of Pakistan’s nemesis country.
Why Is Pakistan Overlooking Their Chinaman Star?
First, the selectors have shown a clear preference for mystery and finger-spin options. Usman Tariq’s unconventional action and powerplay utility, along with Abrar Ahmed’s control, have been deemed better suited to match-ups against specific opponents.
Second, the all-rounder conundrum plays a role. Shadab Khan’s firm grip on the spin-bowling all-rounder slot means the team often prioritises his batting depth.
Since Muqeem is a specialist bowler offering little with the bat, fitting both into a balanced XI becomes a challenge and it seems liek the dilemma would continue for long.
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