Rehan Ahmed (born 13 August 2004) is an English cricketer.[2] He made his international debut against Pakistan on 17 December 2022, becoming England men's youngest Test debutant at the age of 18 years and 126 days. On the third day of the match he also became the youngest debutant to take five wickets in an innings in men’s Tests. On 12 March 2023, Ahmed became the youngest England male cricketer to play in all three formats of international cricket.[3]
 Ahmed in 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rehan Ahmed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 13 August 2004 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm leg break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowling all-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Farhan Ahmed (brother) Raheem Ahmed (brother) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 710) | 17 December 2022 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 24 October 2024 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 270) | 6 March 2023 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 9 December 2023 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 99) | 12 March 2023 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 21 December 2023 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–present | Leicestershire (squad no. 16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Southern Brave (squad no. 10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 31 October 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life and career
editHis father Naeem Ahmed, a former cricketer, was born in Pakistan, where he played as a fast-bowling all-rounder, before moving to England.[4] Naeem, originally from Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, shifted to England with his wife in 2001, where he began to work as a taxi driver.[5] Rehan can speak Pothwari, the dialect of Punjabi dominant in Mirpur, while he can also understand Urdu.[6] His brothers Farhan and Raheem are also cricketers.[7]
Ahmed was in the youth set up at Nottinghamshire but left to join Leicestershire in 2017. Aged 13, he was already billed as one of the brightest prospects in English cricket, having been invited to bowl at England and West Indies at Lord's and clean bowled Ben Stokes.[8]
Domestic career
editHe made his List A debut on 25 July 2021, for Leicestershire in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.[9] Prior to his List A debut, Ahmed was named in the County Select XI squad to play against India during their tour of England.[10]
Ahmed was part of England's squad for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies in early 2022.[11] He played in four of his team's six matches, taking 12 wickets, as England finished as runners-up to India.[12]
In April 2022, he was bought by the Southern Brave for the 2022 season of The Hundred.[13] Later the same month, he signed a contract extension to the end of 2026 with Leicestershire.[14]
Ahmed made his first-class debut on 19 May 2022, for Leicestershire in the 2022 County Championship,[15] and his Twenty20 debut for the same team a week later.[16]
International career
editIn November 2022, he was added to the England squad for the away Test series against Pakistan.[17] He made his Test debut in the third Test of the series, on 17 December 2022.[18] He became the youngest male cricketer for England to make his debut in Tests, achieving the milestone at the age of 18 years and 126 days.[19] During Pakistan's second innings, Ahmed took his first five–wicket haul in Tests,[20] and became the youngest debutant to achieve a five-wicket haul in men’s Tests.[21]
In December 2022, he was shortlisted for that year's BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award.[22]
In February 2023, he was named in England's One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for the series against Bangladesh.[23] He made his ODI debut in the third ODI of the series, on 6 March 2023.[24] He became the youngest male cricketer for England to make his debut in ODIs, achieving the milestone at the age 18 years and 205 days.[25] He made his T20I debut in the second T20I of the series, on 12 March 2023.[26] He became the youngest male cricketer for England to make his debut in T20Is, achieving the milestone at the age 18 years and 211 days.[27]
In 2024 he played his first Test series against India taking 11 wickets and scoring 76 runs in 3 Test matches.[28]
Bowling style
editAhmed plays principally as a right-arm bowler of leg spin, including googlies, and his accuracy has been praised.[29][30][31]
References
edit- ^ "Rehan Ahmed - England". Sportskeeda.
- ^ "Rehan Ahmed". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "BAN vs ENG: Rehan Ahmed Becomes The Youngest England Player To Play In All Three Formats". Cricket Addictor. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^ Johnston, Rob. "Rehan Ahmed - The shadow batter in spotlight". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
His father, Naeem, played good level cricket in Pakistan as a fast-bowling all-rounder before moving to England and Ahmed initially tried to emulate his Dad by bowling seam.
- ^ Raj, Pratyush (7 December 2023). "PoK-born cab driver's English dream comes true: A year after son's Test debut, another set to play in U-19 World Cup". Indian Express. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Nawaz, Aatif (22 October 2024). "Urdu, prayer & grandma - Bashir & Ahmed in Pakistan". BBC News.
Bashir and Ahmed can speak Pothwari, the language of Mirpur, the city from where their families originate.
- ^ MacPherson, Will (23 November 2022). "England add 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed to Pakistan Test squad". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "Teenager billed one of brightest prospects in English cricket has left Nottinghamshire". Nottingham Post. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "Group 1, Leicester, Jul 25 2021, Royal London One-Day Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "James Bracey, Haseeb Hameed in County Select XI to face India". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "Young Lions announce England U19 World Cup squad". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Records / ICC Under-19 World Cup, 2021/22 - England Under-19s / batting and bowling averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ "Rehan Ahmed, England Under-19 legspinner, signs contract extension at Leicestershire". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ "25th Match, Worcester, May 19 - 22, 2022, County Championship Division Two". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "North Group (D/N), Leicester, May 26, 2022, Vitality Blast". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Rehan Ahmed added to England Men's Test Squad". England and Wales Cricket Board. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "3rd Test, Karachi, December 17–21, 2022, England tour of Pakistan". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "Uncapped Rehan Ahmed named in England XI for Karachi Test". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "Five star Rehan Ahmed! Spinner claims five-for on debut!". Sky Sports. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "ENG vs PAK: England's Rehan Ahmed becomes youngest debutant to achieve a five-wicket haul in men's Tests". Sportstar. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Young Sports Personality 2022: Sky Brown, Jessica Gadirova & Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix on shortlist". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "England Men name squad for Men's ODI and T20 tour of Bangladesh". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "3rd ODI (D/N), Chattogram, March 06, 2023, England tour of Bangladesh". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ^ "BAN vs ENG: England emerging star Rehan Ahmed scripts unique record on debut". The Indian Express. 6 March 2023.
- ^ "2nd T20I (D/N), Mirpur, March 12, 2023, England tour of Bangladesh". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^ "Bangladesh field first in search of series win; Rehan Ahmed youngest England player to make debut". The Business Standard. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^ "Anthony de Mello Trophy, 2023/24 Records - England averages". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Rehan Ahmed Profile - Cricket Player England | Stats, Records, Video". ESPNcricinfo.
- ^ "England player ratings: Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson star despite series defeat to West Indies". Sky Sports.
- ^ Wigmore, Tim (8 December 2023). "Teenage English leg-spinners are not supposed to be as good as Rehan Ahmed". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.