Faheem Ashraf
Faheem Ashraf – Pakistan Bowler
Faheem Ashraf is a bowling all-rounder whose skill set and tactical flexibility make him a valuable asset both for the national team and in franchise leagues. He became the first Pakistani cricketer to take a hat-trick in the T20 format.
Faheem Ashraf: Sporting Career
Faheem Ashraf was born on January 16, 1994, in Phool Nagar, a modest town in eastern Pakistan. He grew up in a large family that enjoyed social standing and financial stability, which allowed him to pursue sports from an early age. His cricketing talent became evident during his teenage years, and by 2010 he was already delivering assured and mature performances for the Faisalabad regional side in Pakistan’s Under-19 domestic tournaments.
Following a series of strong displays in youth-level cricket, Ashraf gradually transitioned into the professional ranks. His entry into first-class cricket in the 2013/14 season marked a major breakthrough in his career. Despite being a newcomer to the senior setup, he quickly made an impression by scoring his first century, signaling his readiness for higher-level competition and establishing himself as a player of significant promise.
The real breakthrough with the ball came a few years later. At the 2016/17 Departmental Cup, Ashraf finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps. And this was no one-off purple patch: soon after, representing Punjab in the Pakistan Cup, he once again underlined his status as one of the country’s most promising all-rounders, claiming eight wickets in four matches. Such eye-catching performances significantly strengthened his standing in professional circles. One of Pakistan cricket’s selection coordinators, Tausif Ahmed, remarked at the time:
“I saw him playing for NBP. His batting really stands out. What more does a team need? He’s a powerful player, and I know exactly how effective he is in domestic tournaments.”
By the spring of 2017, Faheem Ashraf’s name was coming up more and more often in discussions about the national squad. In March, he received his first call-up to the Pakistan ODI team for a series against the West Indies. Even though he didn’t get a chance to take the field back then, the call itself was a clear signal: the selectors viewed him as a player with serious potential.
Already in April, Ashraf was included in the squad for the prestigious ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which firmly cemented his reputation as one of the most promising all-rounders in the country. He wasted no time in paying back the trust shown in him: in a warm-up match against Bangladesh, Faheem scored 64 runs, effectively sealing a win for Pakistan.
In the latter part of 2017, Faheem Ashraf entered the international T20 arena, making his debut during the Independence Cup. His impact became even more significant later that October, when Pakistan faced Sri Lanka in a T20I series. During that contest, Ashraf etched his name into the record books by achieving a historic milestone – he became the first bowler from Pakistan to take a hat-trick in the T20 International format.
The 2018 season marked another major milestone in Faheem Ashraf’s career. He earned his maiden call-up to the Test squad and toured Ireland and England with the team, making his Test debut against Ireland. Shortly afterward, he returned to the ODI format and played an important role for Pakistan in the series against Zimbabwe. By the end of the year, his steady progress was officially recognized, as Faheem was named “Emerging Cricketer of the Year” by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In October 2025, Faheem Ashraf enjoyed one of the best spells of his T20I career. In the second home match against South Africa, he produced figures of 4/23 in 3.2 overs. Across the three-match series, he was deservedly named Player of the Series.
As for club cricket, Ashraf became one of the key figures in Islamabad United’s championship-winning season, taking 18 wickets and earning the Best Bowler award in the PSL 2018.
- Faisalabad;
- National Bank;
- Habib Bank Limited;
- Islamabad United;
- Northamptonshire;
- Central Punjab;
- Dhaka Platoon;
- Sussex;
- Hobart Hurricanes;
- Faisalabad;
- Khulna Tigers;
- Lahore Qalandars.
At present, the player holds two active contracts with Fortune Barishal in the BPL and Quetta Gladiators in the PSL.
Faheem Ashraf: Personal Life And Interesting Facts
Faheem Ashraf deliberately maintains a low profile away from the cricket field and rarely shares details about his personal affairs. What is publicly known is that he has not yet married. Presented below are several lesser-known facts about the player, followed by a statistical summary of his on-field performances.
- He has a strong appreciation for traditional Punjabi music;
- He comes from a large family, with seven brothers and two sisters;
- Supporters and followers commonly refer to him by the nickname “Yoyo”.
Faheem Ashraf is an active user of social media platforms such as Facebook (Faheem-Ashraf), TikTok (@faheem_ashraf_official), and Twitter (iFaheemAshraf).
| Format | Matches | Runs | Bat Avg | Top Score | Balls bowled | Wickets | Bowl Avg | Best Bowl | Catches |
| Test | 17 | 687 | 26.42 | 91 | 1 908 | 25 | 39.64 | 3/42 | 24 |
| ODI | 41 | 350 | 14.00 | 73 | 1 612 | 31 | 45.29 | 5/22 | 28 |
| T20I | 71 | 525 | 13.46 | 51 | 1 083 | 58 | 23.98 | 4/23 | 19 |
| T20 (all) | 244 | 2 242 | 17.51 | 55 | 4 496 | 242 | 25.63 | 6/19 | – |
| List A | 99 | 1 342 | 20.33 | 88 | 4 214 | 120 | 30.91 | 5/22 | – |
| FC | 79 | 3 174 | 29.94 | 147 | 11 064 | 183 | 31.55 | 6/65 | 24 |
