Derbyshire Head of Cricket Mickey Arthur has expressed disappointment over Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem missing the opening half of the upcoming Vitality Blast 2026 campaign.

In a statement issued by Derbyshire, Arthur said Sufiyan’s unavailability forced the county side to reconsider the balance of its squad ahead of the new season.

The club has brought in Pakistan left-arm pacer Akif Javed as a replacement for the early stages of the tournament, with Arthur speaking highly of the fast bowler.

“When we were notified that Sufiyan wouldn’t be joining us, we were naturally disappointed, but it presented us with an opportunity to change the balance of our line-up, and Akif was at the very top of my list,” Arthur said.

“He’s someone I’ve worked with before and I’ve been keeping a close eye on his development because I think he will be perfect for English conditions,” he added.

Arthur also highlighted Derbyshire’s injury concerns in the pace department, with Pat Brown and Harry Moore currently sidelined, while Luis Reece is unable to bowl.

“With Pat Brown and Harry Moore currently out with injury, and Luis Reece unable to bowl, we have elected to add some international quality to our pace attack and some variation with Akif being a left-armer,” he stated.

It is pertinent to mention that Derbyshire had earlier signed Sufiyan for the T20 competition. However, the left-arm spinner will miss the first half of the tournament due to international commitments.

Akif has represented Pakistan in three One-Day Internationals, taking seven wickets at an average of 23.57, including a four-wicket haul.

The 25-year-old also has solid franchise cricket experience, having featured in both the Pakistan Super League and the Bangladesh Premier League.

Across five PSL seasons with four different franchises, Akif has claimed 34 wickets in 27 matches.

He has also impressed in the BPL, picking up 28 wickets in 19 appearances across three editions, further strengthening his credentials as an experienced T20 bowler ahead of his Derbyshire stint.

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