Zaman Akhter has been part of the England Lions squad in 2024 and 2025
Akhter thrilled to be part of formidable Essex bowling lineup
He will be part of a seam attack spearheaded by Jamie Porter and Sam Cook, who collectively have taken 899 first-class wickets, supported mainly by Shane Snater and new winter signing, Mitchell Killeen. Unfortunately, New Zealand all-rounder Doug Bracewell will not be making a return to Chelmsford in 2026, as he has recently declared his retirement. Akhter expressed his desire to provide “a bit of pace, a game-changing spell and some valuable runs with the bat.” He progressed through the South Asian Cricket Academy, a charitable initiative created to improve the representation of British South Asians in professional cricket. Akhter did not embark on his first-class career until the age of 24, having faced back issues earlier in his bowling journey. “I faced stress fractures in my lower back at 18, followed by another back issue during the season I was auditioning with Essex,” he recounted. “When you’re not part of the squad, accessing physios becomes difficult. I had to seek external support, which was fantastic and helped me return to playing.” He noted, “I had to withdraw from a few matches mid-season to get healthy, but those early challenges allowed me to better understand my game and figure some things out on my own.” He further observed, “You now see players making their Test debuts after 30, so not getting signed at 18 isn’t a dead end.” Essex’s 2026 season will kick off with an away Championship match against Hampshire on 3 April.
Published: 2026-01-02 11:34:00
source: www.bbc.com
