Sydney Thunder Sign Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi For Upcoming Season Of Big Bash League As David Willey's Replacement

The Sydney Thunder have signed Afghanistan’s emerging pace sensation Fazalhaq Farooqi for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. The head of the Thunder, Andrew Gilchrist, heaped praise on the young fast bowler.

Farooqi has been signed as a replacement player for England left-arm bowler David Willey, who has withdrawn from the competition. The Thunder selected the England international as their platinum signing in the inaugural BBL draft in August, but he decided to withdraw his name earlier this month.

Fazalhaq Farooqi Is An Emerging Talent – Sydney Thunder GM

Farooqi will be available to play in the Thunder’s first nine rounds of the Thunder’s BBL season. Andrew Gilchrist heaped praise on him for his performances in the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup 2022, saying he is a perfect replacement for England’s David Willey.

“Fazalhaq Farooqi is an emerging talent. He joins Thunder in great form after playing exceptional cricket in the World T20 Cup and the Asia Cup tournament. While it was very disappointing to have lost David Willey, it has opened the door for Farooqi to further enhance his reputation and growing status in world cricket,” the Sydney Thunder general manager Andrew Gilchrist said as quoted by the official website of the franchise.

“Afghanistan has enjoyed a tremendous representation in the BBL over the years. Rashid Khan has been embraced by Adelaide Strikers fans as a genuine superstar and adopted South Australian, while others, including Zahir Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Qais Ahmad have made their marks. We fully expect Fazalhaq will only further enhance the growing reputation of cricketers from Afghanistan being fearless cricketers and extraordinary entertainers,” it added.

The 22-year-old, known for his ability at the death, played seven ODIs and 17 T20Is for Afghanistan. The left-arm seamer also played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. Farooqui took 35 wickets in 33 T20s at an economy rate of 6.53 and performed well in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. He ended the tournament with an economy rate of 6.52 and figures of 2/29 in Afghanistan’s final Super 12 game against Australia.

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