Mickey Arthur 'naturally disappointed' over Sufiyan Muqeem's Vitality Blast absence

Derbyshire Head of Cricket Mickey Arthur has shared his thoughts on Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem missing the opening half of the upcoming Vitality Blast 2026 campaign, admitting the county side were disappointed by the spinner’s absence.

In a statement released by Derbyshire, Arthur explained that the unavailability of Sufiyan prompted the club to reassess the balance of their squad ahead of the new season.

He also praised Pakistan fast bowler Akif Javed, who has been brought in as a replacement for the early stages of the competition.

“When we were notified that Sufiyan wouldn’t be joining us, we were naturally disappointed, but it presented us with an opportunity to change the balance of our line-up, and Akif was at the very top of my list,” Arthur said.

“He’s someone I’ve worked with before and I’ve been keeping a close eye on his development because I think he will be perfect for English conditions,” he added.

Arthur further highlighted Derbyshire’s injury concerns within the pace department and stressed the importance of adding international experience and variety to the bowling attack.

He described Akif as a valuable addition due to his left-arm pace and ability to offer a different dimension to the side.

“With Pat Brown and Harry Moore currently out with injury, and Luis Reece unable to bowl, we have elected to add some international quality to our pace attack and some variation with Akif being a left-armer,” he stated.

It is pertinent to mention that Derbyshire had earlier secured the services of Sufiyan for the T20 competition. However, the left-arm spinner will be unavailable for the first half of the tournament due to international commitments.

Akif has represented the Pakistan national cricket team in three One-Day Internationals, claiming seven wickets at an average of 23.57, including an impressive four-wicket haul.

The 25-year-old left-arm pacer also brings considerable franchise experience, having featured in both the Pakistan Super League and the Bangladesh Premier League.

Across five PSL seasons representing four different franchises, Akif has taken 34 wickets in 27 matches.

He has also enjoyed success in the BPL, where he has claimed 28 wickets in 19 appearances across three editions, underlining his credentials as an experienced T20 bowler ahead of his stint with Derbyshire.