The Muslim player in New Zealand cricket team are a force to be reckoned with. With their passion and talent, they are sure to make an impact on the game. Ajaz Patel is the only Muslim player who is playing for New Zealand.
New Zealand has a few number of Muslim cricket players representing the country at various levels. This includes international players such as Ajaz Patel.
Muslim cricketer has made a significant contribution to the game in New Zealand, both on and off the field. He brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the game and has helped to foster a more inclusive and diverse culture within cricket.
On the field, Muslim cricketer has been some of the most successful players in New Zealand’s history. Muslim cricketers have also been active in promoting the game within their communities.
First Muslim Player in New Zealand Cricket Team
Ajaz Patel is the first Muslim who recently got his first call for international cricket in New Zealand becoming the first Muslim player in New Zealand cricket team. Ajaz Yunus Patel was born on 21 October 1988, in Mumbai Maharashtra. His family originally comes from Gujrat but he was born in Mumbai. They used to live in Jogeshwari. Later on, they fled to Auckland city of New Zealand when Patel was about 8 years old(1996).
| Name | Ajaz Yunus Patel |
| Date of birth | 21 Occtober 1988 |
| Age | 33 Years (in 2022) |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Religion | Islam |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Birth Place | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | Mount Mary School, Mumbai(Primary education) |
| College | Avondale College |
| Father | Yunus Patel |
| Mother | Shahnaz Patel |
| Siblings | Sana Patel and Tanzeel Patel |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Nilofer |
| Height | 5ft.6″ |
Ajaz’s father is a shopkeeper and a Refrigeration specialist. His mother was a school teacher in Mumbai. When they moved to Auckland his father started a shop and got settled. Patel’s uncle enrolled him at Suburbs New Lynn Cricket Club in Auckland.
Patel got married to Nilofer who is also a Mumbai-based girl in the year 2014. He was selected for the New Zealand cricket team in 2018. In October 2018, he made his International Debut For the New Zealand Cricket team, following month he made his test debut for the team, taking five wickets in the second innings.
Ajaz is a slow left-arm Orthodox bowler. Patel became only the third bowler in Test cricket history to take all ten wickets in an innings in December 2021 during the second game against India. The other two were Anil Kumble and Jim Laker.
Patel’s Cricket Career in New Zealand Cricket Team
Ajaz began his bowling career for Auckland as a fast bowler. Another Patel who competes for New Zealand. Ajaz is a spinner who follows the footsteps of Dipak Patel and Jeetan Patel. Dipak Patel who was an All-rounder for the New Zealand team helped him with his spin bowling skills. First, he began playing for Suburbs in a match with fast bowling, then got encouragement from Dipak Patel for spin Bowling.
Ajaz struggled when playing for Auckland A, but after switching to Central Districts, he was quickly promoted to first-class cricket and made his debut in 2012.
| Profession | Cricketer |
| Mentor | Dipak Patel |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Role | Bowler |
| National Side | New Zealand (2018-present) |
| Matches | 129 |
| Balls bowled | 22,109 |
| Wickets | 374 |
Domestic Career
Patel made his first T20 debut for central districts against Wellington in a New Zealand Domestic series in the year 2012, October. He gave 37 runs in his three overs with the highest economic rate of 12.33.
| Years | Team |
| 2012/13 | Central Districts |
| 2019 | Yorkshire |
| 2022 | Glamorgan |
On December 27, 2015, Patel made his first List A debut in the Ford Trophy against Canterbury. He remained not out with 4 runs and bowled only 4.4 overs in his 10 overs quota taking no wickets.
He played for Yorkshire and Glamorgan. Patel was signed by Glamorgan in July 2022, and he participated in the team’s final four County Championship games in England, taking a total of 14 wickets.
International Career
Patel was selected for New Zealand’s Test squad for their match with Pakistan in July 2018. He was then included in New Zealand’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad in October 2018 for their series against Pakistan.
| National Side | New Zealand |
| Test Debut (cap 274) | 16 November 2018 vs Pakistan |
| Last Test | 2 June 2022 vs England |
| T20I debut (cap 79) | 31 October 2018 vs Pakistan |
| Last T20I | 10 September 2021 vs Bangladesh |
He made his first International Debut on October 31, 2018, against Pakistan taking 1 wicket, and 27 runs in 4 overs. He also got selected for ODI but Never played the ODI series.
Ten Wickets- India T20
Patel was included in the New Zealand Test team for their two-match series in India in November 2021. Patel took 2/90 in the first innings and 1/60 in the second to help the first Test end in a draw late on day five. Patel took all ten of his victims in the first innings of the second Test, which got underway on December 3, 2021. He finished with statistics of 10/119 from 47.5 overs.
After Jim Laker in 1956 and Anil Kumble in 1999, Patel became the third bowler to take all ten wickets in an innings of a Test match. Patel added four more wickets in the second innings, concluding the match with 14/225, the highest bowling statistics in a Test match against India.
More Information about Ajaz Patel
- In the 2015–16 Plunket Shield season, he had 43 dismissals, which was the most wickets taken.
- Patel received the New Zealand Cricket Awards’ Men’s Domestic Player of the Year honour in April 2018.
- He is just the third New Zealand spinner to take five wickets in an innings in a debut game.
- The fifth New Zealand cricketer who was born in India is Ajaz Yunus Patel alongside Tom Puna, Ted Badcock, Jeet Ashok Raval, and Ish Sodhi.
- He received a deal with Central Districts in June 2018 for the 2018–19 campaign.
