Watch: Afghanistan quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, on Big Bash League debut, speared a delivery into Hilton Cartwright’s stumps, capping off the dismissal with a unique “kick” celebration in the opening match of BBL 2022/23.
Farooqi, 22, is one of the most sought-after young quicks on the franchise circuit, having earned his T20I cap last year, and ODI cap in January 2022. The left-arm quick, who was part of the Afghanistan team at the 2020 U19 World Cup, rose to prominence in the 2022 Asia Cup. During the tournament, he became the first bowler to dismiss Babar Azam for a golden duck in T20Is.
Over the past year, he has linked up with teams in the IPL and BPL and is set to be a part of next year’s ILT20 as well. Last month, he signed up with Sydney Thunder as a replacement for David Willey, who withdrew from the tournament. Sharing the new ball with Gurinder Sandhu against Melbourne Stars in the opening fixture of BBL 2022/23, Farooqi picked up the wickets of Nick Larkin, as well as Cartwright, who played two Tests for Australia in 2017.
The Cartwright dismissal was off a length ball that angled into the stumps from round the wicket, and took the top of off stump. Farooqi celebrated with a swinging kick in the air. He finished with figures of 4-0-20-2, helping restrict the Stars to 122-8. Thunder stumbled in the chase, but still sneaked through with a one-wicket win.
Watch the Farooqi ball and celebration
Reckon Fazalhaq Farooqi Has been watching the #WorldCup with this celebration? ⚽️@KFCAustralia #BucketMoment #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/0TKUujbwVU
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 13, 2022
