Ashfaq Ahmed (Emirati cricketer)

Ashfaq Ahmed

Personal information
Full name	Mohamamd Ashfaq Ahmed
Born	(1985-03-26) 26 March 1985 (age 39) Lahore, Pakistan
International information
National side	United Arab Emirates
ODI debut (cap 72)	11 January 2018 v Ireland
Last ODI	16 April 2019 v Zimbabwe
T20I debut (cap 41)	22 October 2018 v Australia
Last T20I	19 October 2019 v Ireland
Career statistics
Competition ODI T20I FC LA Matches 16 6 18 49 Runs scored 344 21 567 1,265 Batting average 21.50 3.50 19.55 25.81 100s/50s 0/2 0/0 0/2 2/5 Top score 92 8 82 114 Balls bowled 223 12 290 470 Wickets 4 1 7 10 Bowling average 46.25 14.00 20.42 43.50 5 wickets in innings 0 0 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 2/55 1/14 2/19 2/5 Catches/stumpings 6/– 1/– 12/– 17/–
Source: Cricinfo, 19 October 2019

Mohammad Ashfaq Ahmed (born 26 March 1985), commonly shortened as Ashfaq Ahmed or Mohammad Ashfaq, is a Pakistani-born cricketer who played for the United Arab Emirates national cricket team.[1]

In Pakistan

In a Twenty20 match for Lahore Eagles against Rawalpindi Rams, Ashfaq scored 99 runs not out off 58 balls. He reached 99 when Lahore still needed three runs for victory, then Rawalpindi bowler Najaf Shah deliberately bowled a wide ball down the leg side which went for four runs, handing Lahore the victory but preventing Ashfaq from scoring his maiden century. So upset were the Lahore team with this negative tactic that they refused to shake hands with the Rawalpindi players.[2][3]

In the UAE

Ashfaq made his List A debut for the United Arab Emirates against Nepal in the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship on 6 December 2017.[4]

In January 2018, he was named in the UAE's One Day International (ODI) squad for the tri-series against Ireland and Scotland.[5] He made his ODI debut against Ireland in the tri-series on 11 January 2018.[6] Later the same month, he was named in the UAE squad for the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament.[7]

In August 2018, he was named in the UAE squad for the 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier tournament.[8]

He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for the UAE in a one-off match against Australia on 22 October 2018.[9]

In December 2018, he was named in the United Arab Emirates' team for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.[10] He was the leading run-scorer for the United Arab Emirates in the tournament, with 167 runs in three matches.[11]

In September 2019, he was named in the United Arab Emirates' squad for the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the UAE.[12] Ahead of the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named him as the player to watch in the UAE's squad.[13] However, on 21 October 2019, he became the fourth UAE cricketer to be suspended by the ICC, following an investigation into corruption. Ahmed had played in the first two matches for the team in the tournament.[14] In September 2020, Ahmed was charged under the ICC's anti-corruption rules, and was suspended from cricket with immediate effect.[15] In July 2021, the ICC banned him from all cricket for eight years, backdated to 13 September 2020.[16]

References

1. "Ashfaq Ahmed". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
2. "Sialkot romp to third successive win". ESPNcricinfo. 28 February 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
3. "Lahore Eagles v Rawalpindi Rams at Karchi (NBP), 27 Feb 2006". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
4. "52nd Match, ICC World Cricket League Championship at Abu Dhabi, Dec 6 2017". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
5. "UAE Cricket to participate in ODI Tri-Series against Ireland and Scotland in Dubai during January 2018". Emirates Cricket Board. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
6. "1st Match, United Arab Emirates Tri-Nation Series at Dubai, Jan 11 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
7. "Six teams vying for the final two spots in ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
8. "Emirates Cricket Board officially announces team to represent the UAE in the Asia Cup Qualifiers 2018". Emirates Cricket Board. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
9. "Only T20I, Australia tour of United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi, Oct 22 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
10. "Emirates Cricket Board announce team that will represent the UAE in Asia Cricket's Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2018". Emirates Cricket Board. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
11. "Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup, 2018/19 - United Arab Emirates Emerging Team: Minor cricket (one-day/limited overs): Batting and bowling averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
12. "Emirates Cricket Board announces side to compete in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifiers 2019". Emirates Cricket Board. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
13. "Team preview: United Arab Emirates". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
14. "Ashfaq Ahmed provisionally suspended by UAE board in relation to corruption investigation". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
15. "UAE players Amir Hayat and Ashfaq Ahmed suspended for breaching ICC anti-corruption code". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
16. "Amir and Ashfaq banned for eight years each under ICC anti-corruption code". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 July 2021.

External links

• Ashfaq Ahmed at ESPNcricinfo