Pakistan surprised fans by handing a T20I debut to Ahmed Daniyal in the second match against Bangladesh on July 22, 2025. The match took place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka’s Mirpur area. The 28-year-old fast bowler replaced spinner Abrar Ahmed in a must-win game for Pakistan.
Despite a good start, Pakistan lost the match by 8 runs while chasing a target of 134. Bangladesh’s Jaker Ali was named Player of the Match for his steady 55 off 48 balls.
So, who exactly is Ahmed Daniyal?
Daniyal is a medium-fast bowler who had never played international cricket before this series. His selection came as a surprise to many. However, his inclusion was due to several key fast bowlers being unavailable. Haris Rauf was ruled out due to injury, while Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim were not included in the squad.
Daniyal first rose to attention during the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he played 10 matches for Lahore Qalandars and took six wickets. Around the same time, he impressed in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. Aaqib Javed, now Pakistan’s head coach, praised him as a “special talent.”
His PSL performances led to a brief stint with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, where he played three games. In the following years, Daniyal remained active in domestic cricket, including the National T20 Cup and the Emerging Asia Cup. Earlier this year, he returned to the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi, picking up six wickets in four matches, including a best of 3-17.
Daniyal made an immediate impact on his T20I debut. He bowled his first over after Bangladesh were reduced to 25-3. On just his fourth delivery, he dismissed Parvaz Hossain Emon. Later, in the 16th over, he took his second wicket, bowling out Shamim Hossain. He ended with figures of 2-15 in three overs.
Ahmed Daniyal’s journey to international cricket has been long but steady. His debut performance shows promise and could be the start of a longer international career.
Ahmed Daniyal struck twice on debut, but Jaker Ali’s composed 55 helped Bangladesh post 133. Read how Jaker anchored the innings.
