Khaleel Ahmed Set for Essex Debut After India A Stint, Joins for County Championship and One-Day Cup

Indian bowler Khaleel Ahmed has been selected for the squad for the forthcoming County Championship match against Yorkshire, meaning he will be making his Essex debut. On Saturday night, the county club revealed that the left-arm speedster had signed. The 27-year-old will play for Essex in the One-Day Cup and the County Championship and will remain with the team until the end of the current campaign.

Khaleel, a seamer who took 15 wickets during an outstanding Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season with Chennai Super Kings, will now join Essex as they attempt to bolster their bowling arsenal in both red-ball and white-ball forms. Depending on Essex's performance in the One-Day Cup, his County tenure, which is set to last until late September, will feature up to 10 List A games in addition to six first-class games. Ahmed is available for Essex's forthcoming County Championship match against Yorkshire, which is set to start in York on Sunday. 

Khaleel Ahmed's Entry in County Championship:

Talking to Essexcricket, Ahmed said, “I am thrilled to sign for Essex. I have heard a lot about the rich history of the Club, and I’m excited to be part of it and will look to make an immediate impact. I’m looking forward to playing at Chelmsford, meeting the loyal Essex Members and fans, and delivering performances they can be proud of."

Khaleel was a member of the India A team for the unofficial Test match against the England Lions during his recent tour of England. At the opening game at Northampton, he took four wickets and got rid of Chris Woakes, George Hill, Jordan Cox, and James Rew. Khaleel Ahmed has made 29 appearances for India, including 18 Twenty20 Internationals and 11 One-Day Internationals. In 2018, he made his debut against Hong Kong. In 11 ODIs, the left-arm bowler has claimed 15 wickets at an economy rate of 5.81. He plays domestic cricket for Rajasthan. He has taken 92 wickets in 63 List-A games. In first-class cricket, he has also occasionally played for the state, taking 56 wickets with his best record of 5/37.

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