Lytham has announced the signing of Afgan spin bowling sensation Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar for their 2021 Liverpool League campaign.
Record-breaking tweaker
Akbar is an exceptional spin bowling talent on the verge of Afghanistan selection.
The left-arm tweaker holds the record for the equal quickest bowler to take 100 first-class wickets (in 70-years).
It’s fair to say, if it weren’t for Afghanistan’s embarrassment of riches in the spin department, to include the likes of Rashid, Nabi, and Mujeeb, Akbar would be an international regular.
Domestic dominance
Akbar broke into domestic cricket during a 2017/18 season that saw him capture 101 first-class wickets.
He bagged 8 five-wicket bags, 2 ten-wicket match hauls, best figures of 7-70, and boasted an impressive bowling average of 19.75.
During his maiden domestic season, Akbar excelled in both the Ahmad Shah Abdali (55 wickets at 19.74) and Ahmad Shah Abdali (46 wickets at 19.76) 4-Day Tournaments, respectively.
Akbar topped the former wicket-charts and finished 4th during the latter to propel his name onto the national radar.
Akbar has continued to shine ever since, dominating the domestic scene across all formats.
Whilst known for his left-arm spin, he is a useful middle-order bat with 2 first-class fifties and an average approaching 20.
The talented all-rounder has already featured for Afghanistan Under-19s, Emerging Players, and the A side in recent years. He is now eager to break into the national side.
Lytham sign Akbar for 2021 season
For now, though, he is set to play in the UK for the first time, having recently signed with Lytham for their 2021 Liverpool and District Cricket Competition campaign.
