Pakistan left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem has dismissed speculation linking him with a permanent move abroad, insisting that his stint in England is solely for county cricket and reaffirming his commitment to representing Pakistan.
The rumours emerged on social media after Derbyshire Falcons signed the 24-year-old earlier this week for the remainder of the 2026 Vitality Blast, prompting claims that he was considering leaving Pakistan in search of better opportunities due to limited chances at the international level.
Muqeem, however, put the speculation to rest through a statement on his official Instagram account, describing the reports as “completely baseless.”
“The rumours about me leaving Pakistan are completely baseless. I am currently in England solely to play T20 cricket for Derbyshire Falcons,” Muqeem wrote.
“I kindly ask you all to keep me in your prayers. Pakistan is my identity, my pride and my homeland, and it will always come first for me. Long live Pakistan!”
The left-arm spinner joined Derbyshire as a replacement for Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Ghazanfar, whose availability was withdrawn by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) as part of the management of his workload.
Ghazanfar had been expected to rejoin Derbyshire ahead of Sunday’s Vitality Blast fixture against Yorkshire, but the late change opened the door for Muqeem to link up with the county side.
Muqeem has represented Pakistan in 19 T20 Internationals since making his debut in 2023 and has also featured in four One-Day Internationals after earning his maiden ODI cap in 2024.
His clarification comes amid growing discussion over Pakistani cricketers pursuing opportunities in overseas leagues, with the spinner making it clear that his current stay in England is a short-term professional commitment rather than a step towards leaving Pakistan.
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