Afghanistan fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi has been recalled from England’s Vitality Blast competition by the Afghanistan Cricket Board, bringing an early end to his time with Welsh county club Glamorgan, the club said on Thursday.
In a statement, Glamorgan said Farooqi had been called back to Kabul for national-team commitments and would leave the club after making just two appearances in the T20 tournament.
“Glamorgan Cricket fully respects the decision of the Afghanistan Cricket Board and wishes Farooqi well as he returns home for national duties,” the club said.
Farooqi made an immediate impact during his brief spell in England. He took 4 wickets for 34 runs on his debut and finished with six wickets in two matches for Glamorgan.
The left-arm pacer also became the first Afghan overseas player in Glamorgan’s history.
Neither the club nor the Afghanistan Cricket Board provided details about the specific commitments that prompted the recall.
The move comes as Afghanistan prepares for a busy international schedule, including a Test and One-Day International series against India beginning this month. The Afghanistan Cricket Board recently announced its squads for the series, which starts on June 6.
Farooqi has emerged as one of Afghanistan’s leading fast bowlers and a regular member of the national team across formats. He has represented Afghanistan at major international tournaments, including the Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup, and has played in franchise leagues around the world.
Glamorgan did not indicate whether it would sign a replacement overseas player following Farooqi’s departure.
