Zahir Khan is a rare left-arm wrist-spinner from Afghanistan who has carved out a reputation as a genuine wicket-taker across formats. The 27-year-old from Nangarhar made his first-class debut in 2015 and has since amassed 148 wickets in 34 matches at an average of 26.53, including seven five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket match haul. His List A record is particularly impressive, with 115 wickets in 57 matches at an average of 23.56, including a best of 6 for 12. A globetrotting T20 specialist, Zahir has represented numerous franchises across the BBL, CPL, PSL, ILT20, and the Vitality Blast, taking 157 wickets in 143 T20 appearances with a best of 5 for 19. His unorthodox left-arm wrist-spin, combined with his ability to bowl in all phases of a T20 innings, makes him a valuable asset in franchise cricket worldwide. While his international appearances have been limited, Zahir remains a key part of Afghanistan’s spin-bowling resources and a highly sought-after player on the global T20 circuit.
| Bowling | |||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
| Tests | 6 | 10 | 900 | 699 | 15 | 3/59 | 4/170 | 46.60 | 4.66 | 60.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 1 | 1 | 60 | 55 | 2 | 2/55 | 2/55 | 27.50 | 5.50 | 30.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 4 | 3 | 48 | 50 | 3 | 2/20 | 2/20 | 16.66 | 6.25 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 34 | 59 | 5570 | 3927 | 148 | 6/52 | 10/142 | 26.53 | 4.23 | 37.6 | 9 | 7 | 1 |
| List A | 57 | 57 | 3002 | 2710 | 115 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 23.56 | 5.41 | 26.1 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| T20s | 140 | 135 | 2936 | 3643 | 153 | 5/19 | 5/19 | 23.81 | 7.44 | 19.1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Batting & Fielding | |||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct |
| Tests | 6 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 4* | 1.60 | 59 | 13.55 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| T20Is | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 34 | 52 | 19 | 241 | 39 | 7.30 | 520 | 46.34 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 8 |
| List A | 57 | 25 | 6 | 86 | 15 | 4.52 | 197 | 43.65 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| T20s | 140 | 47 | 22 | 113 | 19* | 4.52 | 131 | 86.25 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
He is a left-arm wrist-spinner, a rare bowling style that makes him a unique and valuable asset in any attack.
In 34 first-class matches, he has taken 148 wickets at an average of 26.53, with best figures of 6 for 52 and a 10-wicket match haul of 10 for 142, including seven five-wicket hauls.
In 57 List A matches, he has taken 115 wickets at an average of 23.56, with best figures of 6 for 12, including three five-wicket hauls.
In 143 T20 appearances, he has taken 157 wickets at an average of 23.83, with best figures of 5 for 19, including one five-wicket haul.
He has been part of various IPL franchises but has primarily made his mark in other global T20 leagues.
In 6 Test matches, he has taken 15 wickets at an average of 46.60, and in 4 T20Is he has taken 3 wickets at an average of 16.66.
He has featured in numerous leagues including the BBL, CPL, PSL, ILT20, Vitality Blast, SA20, and APL, representing teams across the world.
His unorthodox left-arm wrist-spin, variations, and ability to take wickets across all phases of a T20 innings make him a highly sought-after franchise player.
He made his ODI debut against Ireland on March 10, 2019, his Test debut against Bangladesh on September 5, 2019, and his T20I debut against UAE on February 19, 2023.
