Some of the most dangerous fast bowlers in cricket have come from Pakistan. Wahab Riaz, a left-arm pacer who competed for the Men in Green in a number of important competitions, is one of them who demonstrated his skill and ferocity.
Four years ago, Riaz left the game. The 39-year-old then worked for the squad as a national selector and assistant coach. Wahab was scheduled to play for the Lahore Greens in the National T20 Cup, an upcoming domestic T20 competition in Pakistan. But when his name surfaced, supporters started making fun of him for replacing young players, which drew a lot of criticism. They think that since he is retired and has experience as a selector, he doesn’t need to take any spots. Now, it appears that he has pulled out of the competition.
Riaz cited personal obligations and engagements as the basis for his withdrawal from the tournament. For the Lahore team, which has won the championship five times, this is undoubtedly a major setback. After players like Sohail Khan and Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz is the tournament’s third-highest wicket-taker.
Wahab Riaz’s T20 record
Despite having a short career, Wahab Riaz has been one of the best bowlers in the shortest format, taking the most wickets (including domestic T20s). He was undoubtedly one of the brightest stars of Pakistan’s bowling attack in the past.
In 348 Twenty20 matches, Wahab has claimed 413 wickets with an economy rate of 7.54 and an average of 22.63. His best statistics in the format are 5/8, and he has taken three five-wicket hauls.