Mohammad Saleem: Age, Height, Career, Stats, Bowling Speed and More

Mohammad Saleem is one of the most discussed young pacers to come from Afghanistan cricket in recent years. Born in Baghlan, Saleem has been a part of the Afghanistan domestic system for years, and his performance against India in June 2026 catapulted him onto the international spotlight. His raw pace, his ability to get the reverse swing and his willingness to bowl long spells in punishing conditions have been compared to the fast-bowling tradition Afghanistan has been looking to develop in tandem with its famed spin attack. Here is everything currently known about Mohammad Saleem — his age, career journey, bowling speed and stats.

Who is Mohammad Saleem?

Mohammad Saleem (full name Mohammad Saleem Safi) is an international cricketer from Afghanistan, who bowls right arm fast and bats right handed. He is playing for Afghanistan in all three formats and domestic cricket teams like Amo Region, Boost Defenders, Band-e-Amir Dragons and Faryab Province. Saleem made his mark on the selectors through his performances in the Shpageeza Cricket League and provincial cricket, where he was one of the more exciting young seamers in the country due to his raw pace. He is best known internationally for his six wicket performance against India in a Test match in New Chandigarh in June 2026.

Mohammad Saleem Age

Mohammad Saleem was born on 9th September, 2002. As of August 2026, he is 23 years old and will turn 24 in September. His zodiac sign is Virgo.

Mohammad Saleem Height and Physical Appearance

There is no information about the height and appearance of Mohammad Saleem. At present, Afghanistan Cricket Board and other major cricket databases have not officially released Mohammad Saleem’s exact height and other physical measurements. His high-pace, tall-frame delivery generates steep bounce and sustained speed over long spells, earning consistent praise from Afghanistan’s coaching staff.

Family Members

Mohammad Saleem Safi comes from Baghlan, Afghanistan, where his family faced severe economic hardships. In 2018, deep financial struggles forced a 16-year-old Saleem to quit cricket entirely. A year later, his younger brother motivated him to return to the sport. Saleem’s family could barely afford his training, making his rise to the national team highly inspirational. He maintains a private life, so his parents’ names are not publicly documented.

Mohammad Saleem Career

Domestic Career

Saleem is from the Baghlan Province where the production of fast bowlers is low compared to the production line of spinners in Afghanistan. He made his debut in February 2019 for Kunduz Province in the Mirwais Nika Provincial 3-Day tournament and slowly made his way into List A and T20 cricket. Saleem was known as a real pace option who could beat the batters for speed, a quality that was less common in the Afghan cricket at the time, after playing for Amo Region and Boost Defenders in the Shpageeza Cricket League, Afghanistan’s top domestic T20 competition.

He was not promoted quickly, but rather steadily, through the system. He was selected in Afghanistan’s ODI team for Pakistan in 2021 and the Netherlands in 2022, and was also a member of Afghanistan’s Test team for Zimbabwe in 2021, before making his debut for the senior team.

International Debut

Saleem made his senior international debut in ODI cricket on 5 July, 2023 in Chattogram against Bangladesh, and was wicketless across his two ODI appearances in the series, conceding 34 runs in 6 overs in his second ODI. He then got his first T20I cap against India on 17 January 2024 in the third T20I of the series, which India won in the second super over.

He made his Test debut just a few days later on 2 February 2024, against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, where he went wicketless in the second innings. Saleem was a peripheral player for the Afghan squads for more than two years following that, in and out of contention as the team sought to utilise its pace attack and maintain its spin strength.

The Breakthrough: 6 for 140 vs India

In June 2026, Saleem delivered the best performance of his career against India in his second Test. Afghanistan played India in a one-off Test at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. The pitch did not favor fast bowlers, and Saleem bowled in difficult heat. He bowled 27 overs and took six wickets during India’s innings. His wickets included Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Dhruv Jurel. India eventually scored 564 runs for eight wickets.

Saleem became the third Afghan pace bowler to take five Test wickets. Ziaur Rahman and Nijat Masood had achieved the feat before him. Afghanistan still lost the match by an innings and 300 runs. The result gave India their biggest Test victory. Despite the loss, Saleem earned praise for his impressive bowling spell. Afghanistan had initially selected him for the three-match Test series against India. His head coach Richard Pybus praised his performance after the match. India’s Washington Sundar also praised Saleem’s bowling during the game. Afghanistan later recalled Saleem for their upcoming three-match ODI series against India.

Mohammad Saleem Bowling Speed

Bowling speed remains one of Saleem’s biggest strengths. Afghanistan has produced many world-class spinners, but fewer fast bowlers. Saleem stands out because he can regularly bowl at a high pace. During the June 2026 Test, he took six wickets against India. Several reports and match observers recorded speeds close to 140 kmph. Saleem maintained that pace during his long 27-over spell. He also bowled in extreme heat and on an unhelpful pitch.

Saleem does not have an official ICC-certified fastest delivery record. International cricket does not maintain an official top-speed record for every bowler. Reported speeds usually come from the broadcast speed gun. Current evidence places Saleem’s international pace in the mid-to-high 130s. He can also reach speeds around 140 kmph. More international experience could help him improve his speed further. Better fitness and conditioning could also support his development as a fast bowler.

Mohammad Saleem Stats

The table below summarizes Mohammad Saleem’s international career figures as they stand after the June 2026 Test series against India.

Bowling Stats

Format	Mat	Inns	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Tests	2	2	6	6/140	6/140	32.83	5.02	39.1	0	1
ODIs	6	6	2	1/62	1/62	154.5	7.88	117.5	0	0
T20Is	1	1	0	–	–	–	14.33	–	0	0
FC	18	33	58	6/140	8/123	28.43	3.44	49.5	1	3
List A	40	40	63	5/51	5/51	27.31	5.61	29.1	2	1
T20s	38	38	40	4/40	4/40	29.72	8.49	21	1	0

Batting Stats

Format	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	SR	Ct
Tests	2	4	2	2	0.5	13.33	0
ODIs	6	3	15	9	15	68.18	5
T20Is	1	–	–	–	–	–	0
FC	18	23	117	28	7.31	55.45	8
List A	40	24	109	24	7.78	55.05	10
T20s	38	14	52	10*	6.5	100	6

Interesting Facts About Mohammad Saleem

• Mohammad Saleem is a right-arm fast bowler from Baghlan Province, Afghanistan — a region not traditionally known for producing pace bowlers.
• He made his first-class debut for Kunduz Province in February 2019, before transitioning into List A and T20 cricket.
• He became only the third Afghanistan pacer to take a Test five-wicket haul, doing so against India in June 2026.
• He was originally selected only for the Test leg of Afghanistan’s 2026 tour of India before being added to the ODI squad on the back of his performance.
• Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus publicly praised his six-wicket haul against India as a “high-quality” performance under extreme conditions.
• He regularly bowls close to the 140 km/h mark, a rare trait among current Afghan quicks.

Mohammad Saleem Net Worth

Mohammad Saleem Safi has an estimated net worth of around $5 million, or approximately ₹40 crore. He earns most of his income from professional cricket, including Afghanistan national team contracts, match fees, domestic competitions, and franchise T20 leagues. Saleem plays Test, ODI, and T20I cricket for Afghanistan and earns money from these appearances. He also represents domestic teams and plays in competitions such as the Shpageeza Cricket League and other regional T20 tournaments. However, Saleem has not officially disclosed his exact net worth, so the $5 million figure remains an estimate.

Social Media Profile

Mohammad Saleem Safi’s official Instagram account is @saleem_safi_68, where he shares updates about his cricket career. He has more than 48,000 followers on the platform. His Instagram bio highlights his association with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and domestic teams such as the Boost Defenders and Amo Region. His social media presence gained more attention after his impressive performance against India in the Chandigarh Test. The Afghanistan Cricket Board also highlighted his 6/140 bowling figures and his maiden five-wicket haul in the match

Conclusion

Mohammad Saleem’s journey from provincial domestic cricket in Baghlan to a match-defining six-wicket haul against India captures the steady, patient rise of many Afghanistan cricketers who break through outside the spotlight before a single big performance changes how they’re viewed. While his overall international sample size remains small, his pace, temperament under pressure, and willingness to bowl long, demanding spells suggest he could become an increasingly important part of Afghanistan’s fast-bowling attack across formats in the years ahead.

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