Liverpool is delighted to announce the signing of Afghan spin sensation Zohaib Zamankhail for their 2022 Liverpool League season.
From U19 to domestic superstar
Zamankhail (listed as Zohaib Ahmadzai on Cricinfo / Cricket Archive) is a spin bowling sensation coming through the Afghan ranks.
From Baghlan, a City in Northern Afghanistan, Zamankhail made his professional debut for Amo Region in the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-Day Tournament in September 2016, aged only 14.
He had previously dominated for Baghlan in the Alokozay Provincial Under-16 and 17, tournaments, and would go on to represent Afghanistan at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa (early 2020).
Off the chart stats
However, it’s at first-class level where the left-arm spinner has made his mark. To date, in 11 matches, he has taken 67 wickets at 20.31 including a handful of 5-wicket bags, 2 ten-wicket match hauls, and best figures of 9-37.
During Afghanistan’s last first-class competition (2019), he was the leading wicket-taker, bagging 46 wickets at 14.63. To add context to his ability, second on the wicket charts (with 35 poles at 14.42) was Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, who was arguably UK league cricket’s best spin bowler in 2021 (85 wickets at 6.67 for Lytham in Division 1 of the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition).
Zohaib joins Zia in Liverpool
In fact, it was Zia who recommended his fellow left-arm spinner, who is is now set to join him in the Liverpool League next summer having recently signed with Liverpool for the 2022 season.
