Junaid Siddiqui: To Which Cricketer Does the Canadian Cricket Legend Owe His Style of Play?

Junaid Siddiqui, born March 25, 1985, is a talented cricketer from Pakistan who currently plays for the Canadian national cricket team. He made his first appearance in all formats of the game in 2011.

Siddiqui began his cricket journey in Mississauga, starting with school cricket. He had the opportunity to play for the Under 14, Under 16, and 19 teams, showcasing his skills in cricket at the local, domestic, and international levels. Siddiqui stands out as a rare Canadian talent who had the opportunity to showcase his skills in first-class and List-A matches in Sri Lanka before earning a spot on the Canadian national cricket team.

Siddiqui was previously under a central contract with Cricket Canada until 2015, when it was unfortunately discontinued due to insufficient funds.

In January 2018, Siddiqui was selected to represent Canada in the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament.

On June 3, 2018, Siddiqui was chosen to represent the Winnipeg Hawks in the players' draft for the first-ever Global T20 Canada tournament. In September 2018, he was selected to represent Canada in the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Americas Qualifier tournament.

In August 2019, Siddiqui was selected to represent Canada in the Regional Finals of the 2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier tournament and the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament, which were held in the United Arab Emirates in October 2019.

In October 2021, Siddiqui was selected to represent Canada in the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier tournament in Antigua. In February 2022, he was chosen to represent Canada in the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier A tournament in Oman.

In May 2024, Siddiqui was selected to represent Canada in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.

Who Does Junaid Siddiqui Look Up to as Role Models?

Shahid Afridi inspires countless cricket enthusiasts worldwide. The ex-Pakistan captain's explosive batting and lethal bowling endeared him to fans worldwide. Afridi quickly became a beloved figure among fans when he made his debut in 1996, stunning everyone with his remarkable 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in just his second match. This extraordinary feat set a world record that remained unchallenged for nearly twenty years.

As his career advanced, he began to shift his attention towards his bowling skills. Eventually, he emerged as a versatile leg-spin bowler in the latter part of his professional journey. Afridi played a crucial role in Pakistan's initial achievements in Twenty20, which included their remarkable victory in the 2009 World T20. He decided to step away from Test cricket in 2010, but he carried on playing limited-overs cricket until he retired from ODIs in 2015. He participated in his final T20I match during the World T20I in 2016.

Although statistics may not fully capture Afridi's remarkable international career, he will forever hold a cherished spot in the annals of cricket. He stands out as a rare breed of contemporary cricketers who have inspired players around the globe. Junaid Siddiqui is a cricketer who the legendary Shahid Afridi dramatically inspired.

The 34-year-old spinner from Canada has emulated Afridi's bowling action in his style. During the Global T20 League Canada, the commentators couldn't help but draw comparisons between him and Afridi due to his impressive performance. Junaid's behaviour bore a striking resemblance to that of Afridi's. From the moment he began his delivery stride to the follow-through, Junaid's bowling action closely resembled Afridi's distinctive style.

Meanwhile, Junaid was competing for Brampton Wolves against Vancouver Knights. He performed admirably with the ball, only allowing 24 runs in his four overs. Nevertheless, despite his best endeavours, the Knights utterly dominated the Wolves, winning by a resounding eight wickets in a completely one-sided match.

The Wolves, given the opportunity to bat first, were dismissed for a total of 138 runs. Babar Hayat was the leading scorer for the team, scoring 34 runs, while opener Lendl Simmons made 30 runs. As a response, the Knights skilfully utilised Chadwick Walton's impressive half-century to pursue the target in just 16 overs successfully.