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Before the ongoing Test series against India, England captain Ben Stokes called 21-year-old Shoaib Bashir his biggest weapon. The young spinner has impressed many with his skill and is considered a key threat to Team India. But what many fans don’t know is that Shoaib Bashir has a unique connection—his family hails from Mirpur in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).

Pakistani Roots of Shoaib Bashir

Bashir’s family originally comes from Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. It was his uncle Saj, a wicketkeeper-batsman at Guildford City Cricket Ground, who encouraged him to take up cricket, paving the way for his rise in English cricket.

Cricket Journey of Shoaib Bashir

Shoaib’s professional career took off when he secured a contract with Somerset for the 2023 season. He made his T20 Blast debut in June 2023 and also had a brief stint with Worcestershire County Cricket Club, impressing with his bowling performances. His talent soon earned him a place in the England Lions team in October 2023.

A viral video showing Bashir bowling to former England opener Alastair Cook caught the eye of Ben Stokes, who shared it with England’s head coach Brendon McCullum and ECB officials. Bashir made his Test debut for England during the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam in January 2024, after overcoming visa delays. He marked the occasion with a five-wicket haul in just his second Test match.

Impressive International Record

In June 2024, Bashir was part of England’s squad for the Test series against the West Indies, where he secured his third five-wicket haul in just his second home Test—making him the youngest English player to achieve this feat on home soil.

Though the Indian batsmen are skilled against spin, Shoaib Bashir’s rise presents a fresh challenge. So far, he has taken 58 wickets in 16 Test matches at an average of 36.69. In first-class cricket, he has 77 wickets from 31 matches. His T20 and List A records also show promise, with wickets in limited appearances.

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