Left-arm pace, and an APL past
Fareed Ahmad Malik was born on 10 August 1994 in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. He is a left-arm fast-medium bowler who joins Kandahar Warriors for APL 2026-27 as their third Gold pick from the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$40,000.
His international record is steady rather than flashy: 48 wickets in 39 T20Is for Afghanistan, with best figures of 3 for 14 against Ireland in August 2022. Left-arm pace is a scarce skill in any T20 squad, and Kandahar now have two of them — Malik and Muhammad Amir — which gives Ravi Bopara two different left-arm angles to work with.
Unlike most of this squad, Malik has an APL past. He played the 2018 season and took 7 wickets in 9 matches, so he knows what this league asks of a fast bowler in the UAE. Eight years later he returns to a different club, in a different role: not a young quick finding his feet, but a senior seamer expected to lead the pace group.
His angle matters against right-handed batters, who make up most top orders in this league. The ball coming across them, then the one that holds its line, is the oldest left-arm trick there is — and Malik has bowled it 39 times for his country.
Farid Ahmad Malik in numbers
The season has not started, so there are no APL 2026-27 numbers for Farid Ahmad Malik yet. The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026, and his figures for this season will be added here after Match 1.
His 2018 return — 7 wickets in 9 matches — is the baseline he will be measured against, and his T20I record of 48 wickets in 39 matches is the standard he brings with him. Best T20I figures: 3 for 14 against Ireland in August 2022.
| Season | Wickets | Matches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| APL | 2018 | 7 | 9 |
| APL | 2026-27 | — | — |
2018 figures from the Sharjah season, 5–21 October 2018. The 2026-27 row stays blank until the season starts on 27 December 2026.
Two left-armers, one pace group
Kandahar’s pace group has a clear shape: Muhammad Amir’s swing with the new ball, Tymal Mills’ pace, Dwaine Pretorius at the death — and Malik as the left-arm seamer who can bowl in any of those phases. That is the quiet value of a bowler like him: he is not the headline, but he is the one who makes the attack flexible.
His left arm also matters for the spinners. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi do their best work when batters are already under pressure, and a left-arm seamer who moves the ball away from right-handers creates exactly that pressure in the powerplay.
Kandahar play eight league matches with four playoff places for five teams. Malik does not need a spectacular season — he needs a reliable one, the kind where his economy stays low and his seven 2018 wickets become nine or ten this time. On this attack, that is enough.
The APL T20 season runs from 27 December 2026 to the final on 20 January 2027, and Malik’s reliability will be tested in every one of his games.
Frequently asked questions
What is Farid Ahmad Malik’s role for Kandahar Warriors?
Left-arm fast-medium bowler. He was picked in the Gold category at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$40,000.
Did Farid Ahmad Malik play in APL 2018?
Yes. He took 7 wickets in 9 matches in the 2018 season at Sharjah, and he returns for APL 2026-27 with Kandahar Warriors.
What are Farid Ahmad Malik’s T20I numbers?
He has 48 wickets in 39 T20Is for Afghanistan, with best figures of 3 for 14 against Ireland in August 2022.