The article discusses 17 Pakistani cricketers who, despite initial appearances, seemingly disappeared from international cricket, fading into obscurity. It begins by noting the announcement of the Asia Cup 2025 squad, but shifts focus to these forgotten players. The introduction uses the phrase, “vanished as if they never existed,” to describe their abrupt exits from the sport. The article then lists the players and details their brief careers, highlighting their limited international appearances before their sudden departures. The tone is retrospective, reflecting on the fleeting nature of some cricketing careers and the often harsh realities of the sport.
The first player mentioned is Abdur Rauf, who debuted in ODIs and T20s in 2008 and in Tests in 2009. After only 3 Tests, 4 ODIs, and a single T20 International, he vanished from the scene. The article also discusses Adnan Akmal, one of the Akmal brothers, who debuted in 2010 but hasn’t been seen since 2014. Other players mentioned had even shorter international careers, such as Asad Ali, who played only 6 matches, and Awaiz Zia, who played 5 T20s. The piece goes on to describe other cricketers like Ayub Dogar, Imran Khan Jr., Kamran Hussain, Mansoor Amjad, Mohammad Khalil, and Mohammad Salman, all of whom had very limited opportunities. The opening batsman Nauman Anwar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Rameez Raja Jr., Riaz Afridi, Saad Ali, Shakeel Ansar, and Waqas Maqsood are also added to the list, showing their abbreviated international careers.
