Atiq-uz-Zaman: “I personally think it’s very harsh with Sufiyan Muqeem. I believe that he’s one of the quality bowlers. He should be [the] first spinner on the list in my opinion”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Atiq-uz-Zaman believes Sufiyan Muqeem “should be [the] first spinner on the list” going forward.
Muqeem has received sporadic opportunities in international cricket lately, but made the most of them.
Atiq has been so impressed that he feels the 25-year-old should leapfrog everyone else and become the go-to spinner for the men in green.
“I personally think it’s very harsh with Sufiyan Muqeem. I believe that he’s one of the quality bowlers. He should be [the] first spinner on the list in my opinion,” he told PakPassion.
Muqeem recently played for the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), but didn’t do that well as he only managed to take one wicket in three matches at an average of 107 and an economy rate of 9.72.
Following this, he didn’t feature in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore, which the men in green won 3-0.
He also missed the tour of Bangladesh, where Pakistan suffered a 2-1 loss in the T20I series.
Pakistan are now touring the West Indies and Muqeem made a return in the T20I series, claiming three wickets in three matches at an average of 19.66 and an economy rate of 4.91.
The men in green won the series 2-1.
Pakistan and the West Indies are currently playing a three-match ODI series and Muqeem has snapped up one wicket in one game at an average of 52.
The series is tied at 1-1 going into the 3rd ODI on August 12 in Trinidad.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem