Fareed Ahmad Malik, a left-arm medium-pace bowler, plays for the Afghanistan national cricket team and made his international debut in 2014. Afghanistan has produced some of the best modern-day spinners in world cricket. However, Malik is a rare commodity who loves to bowl fast and is a hit-the-deck, hard kind of bowler.

Malik made his ODI debut against the UAE in the third match of the five-game series in 2014. He was quite expensive in his debut match, going for 44 runs in six overs, and was unable to pick up a single wicket. Two years later, he made his T20I debut against the same opponent, and this time around, Malik turned the match on its head with his raw pace. He bagged two wickets and gave away just 21 runs in his quota of four overs as Afghanistan won the match by 11 runs.

By March 2021, his career was already a mixture of flashes of brilliance and frustrating absences. The years that followed would test both his resilience and his resolve.

Malik’s return to the Afghanistan T20 squad against Zimbabwe in 2021 felt like a second chance. He had been in and out of the side for much of the preceding years, often sidelined by injuries and overshadowed by the overwhelming success of the spin department. Yet, against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi, he showed glimpses of why selectors kept faith in him. Running in with renewed vigour, he delivered a spell of 1 for 23 in his four overs, bowling with accuracy at the death and unsettling batters with sharp bounce. It wasn’t a match-winning spell, but it was symbolic. Malik was still here, still capable of bending games with pace.

The next major assignment came in 2022, when Afghanistan toured Bangladesh. Conditions in Chattogram and Dhaka were not conducive to fast bowlers; spinners, as they often do in Asia, dominated. Malik, however, impressed by sticking to a disciplined line. In the second ODI, he bowled 8 overs for just 36 runs, and though he picked up only one wicket, his ability to contain aggressive openers earned praise. It was in many ways a thankless role, keeping runs in check while others claimed wickets, but Afghanistan’s captain acknowledged after the game that Malik’s effort “set the tone for the spinners to attack.”

The 2023 season was another test of patience and endurance. Afghanistan’s focus was on preparing for the ODI World Cup in India, and competition for places was fierce. Malik, as one of the few specialist seamers, was in the extended squad. In a warm-up series against Sri Lanka, he bowled in two ODIs. His best effort came in Hambantota, where he produced a disciplined spell of 2 for 38 in 9 overs. While Afghanistan ultimately leaned on spinners for the World Cup itself, Malik’s presence in the squad gave balance.

During the World Cup in India, Malik featured in just one game, against the Netherlands in Lucknow. It wasn’t his finest outing: he bowled 7 overs for 44 runs without success. But the mere fact of being part of a World Cup squad, wearing Afghan colours on the biggest stage, was a validation of his perseverance. In a historic campaign for Afghanistan, which saw them beat Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England, Malik played a quieter role. However, as teammates later reflected, his experience and energy in the dressing room added value beyond the field.

If 2023 was about glimpses, 2024 offered Malik a bigger canvas. Afghanistan, looking to broaden its pace options ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA, rotated its bowlers frequently. Malik played against Ireland in Sharjah and made an immediate impact. At the T20 World Cup itself, Malik played three matches. Against Papua New Guinea in Florida, he produced his best figures of the tournament, 3 for 26.

Off the field, Malik has grown into a mentor figure. Younger seamers like Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveed Zadran often credit him with guiding them on preparation and mindset. Malik’s journey, from struggling on debut in 2014 to fighting for recognition in a spin-centric team, to earning recalls and World Cup spots years later, embodies resilience. His story resonates with younger players who know how fragile opportunities can be in Afghan cricket, where competition is intense and patience is vital.

Looking ahead, Malik still dreams of cementing himself in Afghanistan’s Test squad, should opportunities arise. His ability to bowl long spells, hit the seam, and maintain discipline makes him a candidate for the longer format. Whether or not that dream materialises, he has already left his imprint: as the bowler who kept coming back, who bowled through injury and absence, who ensured that Afghanistan’s story of cricket was not only about spinners but also about seamers who refused to give in.

(As of September 2025)