Maaz Sadaqat has been among the most consistent domestic performers.
Who is Maaz Sadaqat? This has been a major question since the young sensation shone in the second ODI against Bangladesh, which was also just his second international game.
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Maaz Sadaqat, a left-hand batter and left-arm orthodox spinner, was born in Peshawar and grew up playing with plastic balls, as every other child does, and soon started playing club cricket. His early performances in district and regional cricket helped him progress quickly through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa youth system.
Sadaqat was impressive in the National Under-19 One-Day Tournament 2019/20, particularly with the ball, even though he also played a decent knock with the willow. The 20-year-old took eight wickets at 16 runs apiece in four matches, including a five-wicket haul.
From there on, he carried the momentum to the next edition of the same competition, ending up as the third-leading run-getter, apart from plenty of wickets. Maaz accumulated 363 runs at an average of 36.30 in 10 outings, with two fifties and a century.
Additionally, he snared 13 wickets at an average of 14.23 and an economy rate of 3.74 across 10 matches. This included a best of 3/17, as his credentials as an all-rounder kept growing.
Maaz Sadaqat’s impressive performances in the local tournaments opened doors for a spot in Pakistan’s U19 World Cup 2022 squad. In limited opportunities, he scored 46 runs in three innings and took a solitary wicket with the ball.
From then on, Sadaqat made his First Class debut for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in October 2022. A List A debut came in March next year, followed by his T20 debut in the Champions T20 Cup in December 2024.
Overall, he has 1451 runs at an average of 38.18 in 43 FC innings, with 12 fifties and two centuries. Additionally, he has 17 wickets at 40.82 in 25 innings, including a five-wicket haul.
His List A record reads: 990 runs, 38.07 average, and three centuries with the bat and 17 wickets at 33.35 runs apiece with the ball in 28 matches. Maaz has also played 33 T20s, scoring 947 runs at a strike rate of 142.19 and taking 17 wickets at an average of 19.47.
While Maaz Sadaqat had been performing well domestically, his biggest moment came in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. Representing Pakistan Shaheens, Sadaqat became the leading run-scorer, with 258 runs at an average of 129 and a strike rate of 177.93 in five innings, including as many as two fifties.
Additionally, he was the fifth-leading wicket-taker, grabbing seven wickets at a terrific average of 7.43 and an economy rate of 4.33. His best performance came against India A, where he first dismissed two batters in three overs and then played a breathtaking 79-run knock at a strike rate of 168.09, laced with sublime shots.
Sadaqat was instrumental in Pakistan Shaheens’ title run, where they remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. An all-round show saw him win the Player of the Series award.
As Pakistan hit another reset with the Bangladesh series, Maaz Sadaqat was drafted into the squad immediately, along with a few other fresh names. He couldn’t make the most of his debut innings in the first ODI, where his innings ended prematurely on 18 in Mirpur.
However, the young sensation soon redeemed himself and came up with a blistering knock in the second game. He scored 75 runs in 46 deliveries, including six boundaries and five maximums, at a strike rate of 163.04, while opening the innings.
This was his maiden international fifty, even though he would be gutted not to convert it into a three-digit score. However, Sadaqat gave a glimpse of his superior talent with his knock, which might just be a start for one of the brightest talents in the Pakistan circuit.
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