Akif Javed is one such rising star who grabbed the headlines section as Pakistan’s secret weapon in the past few days. He was reported to be replacing the injured pacer Haris Rauf in the squad for the remaining matches of the ongoing tri-series. The experienced pacer’s injury raises concerns about his availability for the Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19 (Wednesday).

According to the earlier statement given by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the uncapped player, was supposed to be a replacement only for Pakistan’s tri-series match against South Africa on Wednesday (February 12).

Shockingly, the PCB’s last-minute changes in a must-win game resulted in Javed being benched, despite his best performance in domestic cricket as well as in the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024-25. Consequently, the young talented bowler once again became the talk of the town after being sidelined in a crucial match.

Who Is Akif Javed? A Brief Introduction

Akif Javed, a 24-year-old left-arm pacer from Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has created a sensation in domestic cricket.

Born on 10th October 2000, the 6-foot-1-inch bowler is renowned for his exceptional pace and ability to swing the ball in both ways, which earned him a reputation as a reliable wicket-taker for his team.

Here is how Javed marked his debut in three different formats of domestic cricket:

1. T20: On 13th October 2019, Akif marked his T20 debut representing Balochistan’s squad in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20. He was able to take a single wicket out of two innings played in the entire season.
   
2. First Class: The left-arm medium pacer marked his first-class debut for Balochistan in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20. In his first appearance against Khyber, he went wicketless in the first innings but managed to grab a single wicket, by conceding 52 runs in 7 overs. Also, he scored 13 and 15 runs in both innings batting down the order.

3. List A: On 14th November 2019, Javed played his first List A game against Afghanistan but wasn’t able to grab a single wicket out of six overs bowled.

Akif Javed’s Impressive Stats in Domestic Cricket: First Class, List A and T20s

Akif Javed boasts outstanding numbers in First Class, List A, and T20 cricket tabulated below in detail:

1. First Class:

2. List A:

3. T20 Cricket: 

Why is Haris Rauf sidelined from Pakistan’s 15-member Squad for the ODI-Tri Series?  

Haris Rauf sustained a muscular twist in his lower chest during the ODI tri-series match against New Zealand on February 08 (Saturday) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Although the injury wasn’t very severe, the experienced pacer has been rested as a safety measure.

During a recent press release, the PCB’s official statement conveyed that Haris is expected to be completely fit and make himself available for selection for Champions Trophy 2025.

Akif Javed’s Incredible Performance For Rangpur Riders in BPL 2024-25

Representing Rangpur Riders in BPL 2024-25, Akif Javed was at his finest form with 20 wickets in just 11 matches, averaging at 14.30 with a 6.89 economy rate. It is noteworthy to know that he was the second-leading wicket-taker in the 11th season after Taskin Ahmed (25 wickets in 12 matches). 

His best bowling figures of 4-32 in 4 overs against Chittagong Kings proves his destructive bowling style in middle overs.

Should Akif Javed Deserve a Fair Chance to Make His International Debut in the ODI Tri-Series?

Haris Rauf’s absence would certainly require to add fuel to Pakistan’s bowling attack, which could have been possible with Akif Javed’s inclusion in the playing XI.

The PCB announced a couple of changes in the playing XI on Tuesday (February 11) resulting in Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Hasnain in place of Kamran Ghulam and Haris Rauf.

With Pakistan’s hopes to qualify for the final match of the tri-series purely dependent on a mandatory victory against South Africa, the focus would have been completely on Akif. Especially, during the high-stakes clash, it would have been a memorable international debut for the young speedster to prove his mettle against a competitive team on a big stage.