Fazalhaq Farooqi: Biography, Cricket Career & CPL Journey
Fazalhaq Farooqi is a talented fast bowler from Afghanistan. He bowls with his left hand and is very good at swinging the ball and bowling quickly. Because of this, many batters find it hard to score runs against him in short cricket matches played around the world. He has also played a few matches in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Even though he did not play many games, it was an important step in his T20 cricket journey. Some people call this his CPL experience or participation. In these matches, he showed that he can bowl well and give away very few runs. Fazalhaq’s story is also inspiring. He started as a net bowler, which means he helped other players practice. Later, he worked hard and became one of the top wicket-takers for his team. This article talks about his life, his hard work, and what he has achieved so far.
Early Life and Background
Farooqi was born on September 22, 2000, in Baghlan, Afghanistan. He grew up in a difficult time, which made him strong and brave from a young age.
When he was a child, he loved cricket. He practiced bowling using simple, homemade balls because he did not always have proper equipment. His family supported him and encouraged him to keep working hard. He played cricket in his local area while also managing his daily life.
He also focused on his education while following his dream of becoming a cricketer. As he grew older, he joined youth cricket teams in Afghanistan to improve his skills.
Domestic Cricket Career
Fazalhaq Farooqi started playing professional cricket in Afghanistan with a team called Kabul Eagles. He began playing longer matches (first-class cricket) in 2017.
In 12 long matches, he did not score many runs because he is mainly a bowler. He scored 48 runs. But he took 22 wickets, which means he got 22 batsmen out. In one match, he bowled very well and took 7 wickets for 50 runs. That was his best performance in long matches.
In one-day matches (List A), he played 48 games. He scored 29 runs and took 58 wickets. His best bowling in this format was 4 wickets for 34 runs.
In T20 matches, which are shorter and faster games, he played 153 matches. He scored 52 runs, but again, his main job was bowling. He took 191 wickets! His best performance was 5 wickets for just 9 runs, which is excellent.
Domestic Stats
| Format | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Highest Score | Wickets | Bowling Average | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 12 | 48 | 5.33 | 17 | 22 | 36.09 | 7/50 |
| List A | 48 | 29 | 3.62 | 16 | 58 | 35.17 | 4/34 |
| T20 Domestic | 153 | 52 | 5.77 | 23 | 191 | 21.26 | 5/9 |
Fazalhaq Farooqi International Cricket Career
He played his first T20 International match on March 20, 2021, against Zimbabwe. Farooqi played his first One Day International (ODI) match on January 25, 2022, against the Netherlands.
He has not played Test matches yet, but he plays very well in shorter formats like ODIs and T20s.
In ODIs, he has played 42 matches. He has taken 52 wickets. His best bowling in an ODI match is 4 wickets for 34 runs. He usually does not give away too many runs while bowling.
In T20 International matches, he has played 54 games and taken 66 wickets. This is very good because T20 matches are fast and exciting. His best performance in T20Is is 5 wickets for just 9 runs in one match. Taking five wickets in a match is a big achievement for any bowler.
International Career Stats
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 42 | 52 | 33.50 | 5.89 | 4/34 |
| T20I | 54 | 66 | 20.17 | 7.02 | 5/9 |
Fazalhaq Farooqi CPL Cricket Career Highlights
In 2025, he played in the Caribbean Premier League for the first time. He joined the team St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He played his first match on August 15, 2025, against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at Warner Park.
Farooqi played 4 matches in the tournament. In those games, he took 5 wickets. His best bowling in one match was 2 wickets for 30 runs. He tried to stop the other team from scoring too many runs and helped his team with his bowling.
CPL Performance Breakdown
- Matches: 4
- Innings Bowled: 4
- Wickets: 5
- Average: 27.20
- Economy: 8.87
- Best: 2/30
Stats in CPL
| Year | Team | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | St Kitts and Nevis Patriots | 4 | 5 | 27.20 | 8.87 | 2/30 |
Franchise League Experiences
He has played in many big cricket leagues around the world.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022. He played 12 matches and took 6 wickets. Later, Rajasthan Royals signed him for the 2025 season.
In Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), he played for Sydney Thunder in the 2022/23 season. He played 4 matches and took 5 wickets, which was a good performance.
In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Fazalhaq Farooqi played for Islamabad United in the 2023/24 season. He took 11 wickets in just 6 matches.
In the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he played for Dhaka Dominators and Comilla Victorians. In 7 matches, he took 6 wickets.
Other Leagues
- LPL: Colombo Strikers
- ILT20: MI Emirates
- MLC: Seattle Orcas
- Global T20 Canada: Toronto Nationals
- The Hundred: Manchester Originals
- T20 Blast: Nottinghamshire
Read Also: Navin Bidaisee Bio, Cricket Career & CPL Highlights
