As a 21-year-old, Rehan Ahmed is certainly the talk of the town, in the cricketing circles. He has recently been in fine form for Trent Rockets during The Hundred. The 21-year-old all-rounder was the star of his team’s high-pressure three-wicket win against Birmingham Phoenix on Tuesday evening. Ahmed turned in a memorable performance, showing skills with both bat and ball. This display has only further entrenched his reputation as a rising star of English cricket.
In the final, Ahmed hit a blistering 37 runs from just 23 balls. He showed his mettle and made big plays late in games while hitting third in the order. His performance not only paved the Rockets’ road to glory, but underscored his remarkable evolution into a playmaker under duress. Even with the adversity, Ahmed excelled in the spotlight, proving himself to be a massive boon to his team’s overall total.
On the bowling front, Ahmed’s influence was no less substantial. His stunning figures of 3-15 in an elimination final against Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston showed he had the mentality and talent of a game-changing fast bowler. He removed Will Smeed by bowling him an outstanding googly that led to a Smeed inside edge for 23. He revealed his athleticism in the field, pouching a one-hander off Jacob Bethell’s reverse-sweep. Sadly, Bethell had to settle for a three-ball duck. Ahmed’s third wicket was his finest when he had Benny Howell slog-sweeping to deep mid-wicket for three.
Ahmed showed impressive control for a 20-year-old in his spell. It wasn’t until Dan Mousley counter-attacked, smashing his delivery for six runs that he allowed a single boundary. This performance is his tenth wicket taken in this year’s edition of The Hundred. No wonder he holds an astounding economy rate of 6.76!
Rehan Ahmed made headlines previously as the youngest player to debut for England in Test cricket against Pakistan in 2022. Since then he has played 20 matches for England in all formats, cementing himself as a multi-format player. He has just been re-called to England’s white-ball squads for ODI’s and T20’s. This final inclusion for the games against South Africa and Ireland in September is a testament to their increasing faith in his talents.
England batter Joe Root has joined the chorus of voices defending Ahmed, urging patience as he finds his way through the early stages of his career. Root was impressed with the young cricketer’s potential, but wanted to convey that learning comes with making errors in judgment.
“He is going to get things wrong now and again,” – Joe Root
Root applauded for Ahmed’s shows in The Hundred, noting the teenager’s knack for addressing situations and walking a tightrope to find success under duress.
“To see how he has taken to this tournament, given the responsibility to bat at number three, he has thrived,” – Joe Root
Root seemed incredibly optimistic about Ahmed’s toolset and long-term ceiling.
“He has got all the shots. He can hit everyone everywhere. He will get better at understanding when and what time to do that,” – Joe Root
Root went on to describe Ahmed’s batting style in greater detail, including the unique challenges he brings to bowlers.
“He is so difficult to bowl at because he can score all around the wicket and he puts bowlers under pressure from ball one,” – Joe Root
As Rehan Ahmed continues to develop his skills on the national stage, supporters eagerly anticipate his contributions in upcoming matches. With each sizzling performance, he boosts his stock as a professional prospect. Yet he is at the same time the embodiment of the very bright future of English cricket.
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