Wahab Riaz

International career

Wahab Riaz, born on June 28, 1985, is a former Pakistani cricketer and current cricket administrator. He served as the chief selector of the Pakistan national cricket team from November 17, 2023. Riaz also worked as an advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab for sports and youth affairs in 2023, during Mohsin Raza Naqvi's caretaker government.

Riaz played as a left-arm fast bowler and a right-handed batsman. He bowled at speeds of around 90 mph (144.8 km/h) and reached 96 mph (154 km/h) at times. His strong performances in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup earned him global recognition. In 2018, Riaz was one of 33 players who received a central contract for the 2018-19 season from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In September 2019, Riaz decided to take a break from red-ball cricket to focus on shorter formats. Later, in June 2020, he said he was open to returning to Test cricket for Pakistan's tour of England.

Riaz's involvement in politics started in January 2023 when he was appointed as sports minister in Punjab’s caretaker government. However, he couldn't take the oath due to his busy schedule. In March 2023, he became an advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab for sports and youth affairs.

2008

• ODI debut: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura on February 2, 2008.
• T20I debut: Pakistan vs Bangladesh at Karachi on April 20, 2008.

2010

• Test debut: Pakistan vs England at The Oval from August 18-21, 2010.
• Test series: Played against South Africa in October 2010. Took wickets but had a side strain and could not continue in the series.

2011

• 2011 Cricket World Cup: Played for Pakistan. Took 5 wickets in the semi-final against India.
• West Indies tour: Played in two Tests, five ODIs, and one T20I. Took 7 wickets in ODIs with an average of 25.28.

2012-2013

• Ireland tour: Went to Ireland in May 2012, but did not play in any matches.
• Zimbabwe tour: Missed the tour and was rested from the team for some time. Did not play in the Test series against Sri Lanka.

2014

• Played in a Test series against Sri Lanka. Was dropped after the series due to missing the squad for six months.

2015

• 2015 Cricket World Cup: Named in the 15-man squad. Took key wickets and scored 54 not out against Zimbabwe.
• He became famous for his performance against Australia in the quarter-final, taking Michael Clarke’s wicket and having a strong exchange with Shane Watson.

2016

• On August 30, 2016, Riaz gave one of the worst ODI bowling figures in history, allowing 110 runs in 10 overs against India.

2019

• 2019 Cricket World Cup: Played in the World Cup. Took 11 wickets in 8 matches and became the second-highest wicket-taker in World Cup history for Pakistan.

2020

• England tour: In June 2020, Riaz was named in the 29-man squad for the England tour during the COVID-19 pandemic. He tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay in isolation. Later, he was added to the 20-man squad for the Test series against England.

2023

• Retirement: Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2023.

Career Stats Summary

• Test Career: Played 27 matches, took 83 wickets, with an average of 34.51 and a best figure of 5 for 63.
• ODI Career: Played 91 matches, took 120 wickets, with an average of 34.31 and a best figure of 5 for 46.
• T20I Career: Played 36 matches, took 34 wickets, with an average of 28.56 and a best figure of 3 for 18.

Leagues Participation

Wahab Riaz played in several major cricket leagues during his career. He was with Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League from 2016 to 2023. He also joined the Cape Town Blitz for the 2019/20 season in the Mzansi Super League. Riaz took part in the Bangladesh Premier League and the Lanka Premier League as well. In the Caribbean Premier League, he played for the Barbados Tridents from 2017 to 2018.

Pakistan Super League

Wahab Riaz participated in multiple cricket leagues during his career. He was a part of the Pakistan Super League with Peshawar Zalmi from 2016 to 2023. He played a key role in their success, becoming the leading wicket-taker in the league. Riaz also appeared in several other leagues, including the Cape Town Blitz and the Caribbean Premier League, showing his skills on various global platforms.

Year	Team	Notes
2016–2023	Peshawar Zalmi	Played in all seven PSL seasons, becoming the league's leading wicket-taker with 30 wickets in 19 matches. Took his 100th PSL wicket in 2022.
2019/20	Cape Town Blitz	Participated in the Mzansi Super League for the 2019/20 season.
2017–2018	Barbados Tridents	Played for the Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League.

Mzansi Super League

Wahab Riaz joined the Cape Town Blitz for the Mzansi Super League in 2019/20. He had a strong start, taking 1/13 against Jozi Stars in his debut match. Later, he helped his team win against Tshwane Spartans, taking 2/18 in the match.

Year	Team	Notes
2019/20	Cape Town Blitz	Debuted in the Mzansi Super League, taking 1/13 and 2/18 in two matches.

Bangladesh Premier League

Wahab Riaz played for different teams in the Bangladesh Premier League. He joined Rangpur Riders in 2015 and 2016. In 2019, he played for Comilla Victorians and took 3/28 in the final. Later in 2019, he achieved a hat-trick against Khulna Titans. In 2023, Riaz was named Player of the Match after his strong performance for Rangpur Riders, where he took 4 wickets for 14 runs.

Year	Team	Notes
2015/16	Rangpur Riders	12 Runs, 1 Wicket
2018/19	Comilla Victorians	17 Runs, 16 Wickets
2019/20	Dhaka Platoon	59 Runs, 10 Wickets
2022/23	Rangpur Riders	23 Runs, 13 Wickets

Lanka Premier League

Wahab Riaz played in the Lanka Premier League for two teams. He was drafted by Kandy Tuskers for the first edition in 2020. In 2021, he joined Jaffna Kings and took 2 wickets for 31 runs in one match.

Year	Team	Notes
2020	Kandy Tuskers	First Lanka Premier League
2021	Jaffna Kings	2 Wickets for 31 Runs

Caribbean Premier League

Wahab Riaz played in the Caribbean Premier League for Barbados Tridents in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, he took 2 wickets for 27 runs in a match against St. Lucia Kings. In 2021, he joined the St. Lucia Zouks team.

Year	Team	Notes
2017	Barbados Tridents	9 Runs, 10 Wickets
2018	Barbados Tridents	3 Runs, 9 Wickets
2021	St. Lucia Zouks	30 Runs, 11 Wickets

Domestic career

Wahab Riaz started his domestic career in 2001, debuting in both First-Class and List A formats. His last First-Class match was in 2018, and his final List A match was in 2022. In T20 cricket, he played his first match in 2005 and last appeared in 2023.

Riaz played for Kent in county cricket. He took a hat-trick and 5 wickets for 17 runs in a T20 match. He also took 13 wickets in First-Class cricket and 9 in List A. His solid performances earned him a Category B contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In domestic competitions, Riaz played for the National Bank of Pakistan in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, where he took 30 wickets and scored 213 runs. In the 2019 Pakistan Cup, he was the joint-leading wicket-taker.

Other Leagues

Wahab Riaz took part in several other leagues in his career. In 2019, he joined the Brampton Wolves for the Global T20 Canada tournament. In 2018, he played for Kandahar in the Afghanistan Premier League. In 2022, he was bought by the Northern Superchargers for The Hundred tournament in England.

Records and achievements

Wahab Riaz has achieved many significant records in cricket throughout his career.

• 100th PSL Wicket: On 18 February 2022, Wahab became the first player to take 100 wickets in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) while playing for Peshawar Zalmi.
• T20 Matches and Wickets: He has played in more than 200 T20 matches across various leagues and has taken over 250 wickets.
• ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: His performance in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup brought him widespread recognition.
• PCB Central Contract: In August 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awarded him a central contract for the 2018-19 season.
• PSL Victory and Wickets: In 2017, Wahab's team, Peshawar Zalmi, won the Pakistan Super League. He was the top wicket-taker with 30 wickets in 19 matches.
• 2011 ICC World Cup Semi-Final: His performance in the semi-final against India in the 2011 ICC World Cup marked a key moment in his career.
• PSL Record (2016–2023): From 2016 to 2023, Wahab took 113 wickets in the PSL. His best bowling performance was 4/17, with a strike rate of 17.46 and an economy rate of 7.79.

Personal life

 Along with his cricket achievements, his personal life has attracted attention both for positive reasons and some controversies. Here’s an overview of his personal life:

Family

Wahab is married to Zainab Chaudhary. They have three children: two daughters, Ethel (born in 2015) and Hoorain (born in 2020), and a son, Sikandar (born in 2023), named after his late father, Sheikh Sikandar Riaz, who was a businessman.

Finance

Wahab Riaz has a net worth of 72 crore, which comes from his cricket career and various endorsements.

Cars and House

In 2023, Wahab lived in a luxury home in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. A video surfaced of him driving his SUV at high speed through a flooded street in Lahore, splashing water onto other vehicles. Wahab later apologized for this action.

Scandals

Wahab’s career has not been free of scandals. Here are some key events:

• 2016 ODI Performance: On August 30, 2016, Wahab conceded 110 runs in 10 overs in an ODI match, one of the worst bowling performances in ODI history.
• 2016 Dispute with Ahmed Shehzad: During a match against Quetta Gladiators in 2016, Wahab had a physical altercation with batsman Ahmed Shehzad. Both players were fined, and the Pakistan Cricket Board issued an official warning.
• 2023 Social Media Incident: A video from 2023 showed Wahab driving his SUV through a flooded street in Lahore and spraying water onto other drivers. He later apologized for his actions.
• Team Discontent in 2023: Some Pakistan national team players expressed dissatisfaction with Wahab due to delays in issuing permits for participation in foreign leagues, like the Big Bash League in Australia.

Fans

Wahab has a large following, but his relationship with fans has been mixed at times. In July 2024, a video of him missing a catch during a World Championship of Legends match went viral, and fans mocked him online. Additionally, in 2024, Wahab faced criticism after laughing when asked about Pakistan’s withdrawal from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite these controversies, he still enjoys a significant fan base, with 717k followers on Instagram.