Haseebullah Khan is quickly becoming one of Pakistan’s most talked-about young wicket-keeper batters. Many fans are already hailing him as the natural successor to Mohammad Rizwan across all formats. But recent events in the Champions One-Day Cup have left everyone wondering if Haseebullah is really getting the chance to show what he’s made of.
The 21-year-old was included in the Rizwan-led Markhors’ squad for the tournament, and that got a lot of people excited. Fans couldn’t wait to see him in action, especially since many believe he’s got what it takes to challenge Rizwan for that national team wicket-keeper spot.
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But then the first two matches came and went, and Haseebullah? Nowhere to be found in the playing XI. Fans were frustrated, and it didn’t take long for some to start accusing Rizwan of being “insecure” and holding back the young talent.
Things got even more interesting during the third match against the Dolphins. This time, Bismillah Khan took the gloves while Rizwan played as a pure batter. Once again, Haseebullah was benched. And, of course, this decision only fueled the fire, with fans openly questioning why he was being sidelined.
Sarfaraz Ahmed Breaks the Silence
The questions were finally answered by someone who is not part of Markhors management. During a mid-match interview, Sarfaraz Ahmed, mentor of the Dolphins team, shed some light on the situation. While talking about the wicket-keeping scene in Pakistan, Sarfaraz revealed that Haseebullah wasn’t benched for no reason—he was actually unfit.
“Wicket-keepers are coming up for sure,” Sarfaraz said, trying to calm the rising storm. “I don’t think people know this, but Haseebullah got unfit, unfortunately.”
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That little revelation cleared up some of the confusion. But even though it explained why Haseebullah wasn’t playing, it also reminded everyone just how competitive the wicket-keeper scene is in Pakistan right now.
The Rising Stars of Pakistan’s Wicket-Keeping
Sarfaraz didn’t stop at just clearing up the Haseebullah situation. He took the moment to shine a light on other young wicket-keepers like Mohammad Haris, Saad Baig, and Rohail Nazir, showing confidence in their potential to represent Pakistan in the near future.
“Mohammad Haris, Saad Baig, and Rohail Nazir are there as well,” Sarfaraz added. “These players have been performing consistently in domestic cricket, so I’m hopeful they can represent Pakistan in the future.”
It’s true—Mohammad Haris has been leading the Stallions, with big names like Babar Azam and Shan Masood in his squad. Rohail Nazir, on the other hand, is part of Shaheen Afridi’s Lions but hasn’t played a match yet. As for Saad Baig? He’s out of the Champions Cup after failing to pass a fitness test.
For now, the talk surrounding Haseebullah’s absence has been put to rest. But the bigger conversation about who will be Pakistan’s future wicket-keeper? That’s still wide open. With so much young talent coming up, the competition is only going to get more intense.
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