Who Is Md Kounain Quraishi? The Out-of-the-Blue Shahbaz Ahmed Replacement in Duleep Trophy

New Delhi, August 30: In a curious turn of events during the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2026 semi-final between East Zone and Central Zone, Shahbaz Ahmed has been replaced by Jharkhand all-rounder Md Kounain Quraishi. The change has come as a surprise, with Quraishi emerging almost out of nowhere to join the East Zone squad at a crucial stage of the tournament.

Interestingly, Shahbaz Ahmed had been instrumental in East Zone's run to the Duleep Trophy 2026 semi-finals, earning the Player of the Match award in their quarter-final against North East Zone.

He produced an all-round performance, scoring a crucial 167 runs and following it up with three wickets for 20 runs and one for 53. His contributions with both bat and ball played a key role in East Zone's victory and helped them secure their place in the last four.

Who is Md Kounain Quraishi?

Md Kounain Quraishi, born on September 29, 2002, in Dhanbad, is a young cricketer representing Jharkhand in domestic cricket. The 23-year-old is a right-handed batter and bowls right-arm off-spin, giving him the profile of a potential batting all-rounder.

Quraishi has so far made four List A appearances for Jharkhand. Across three innings with the bat, he has scored 45 runs at an average of 15.00 and a strike rate of 95.74. His highest score is 43, while he has struck seven fours during his limited opportunities.

Although his experience at the List A level remains limited, Quraishi has already shown glimpses of his ability with the bat. His strike rate of close to 96 indicates an attacking approach, while his right-handed batting provides another option in Jharkhand's lineup.

With the ball, Quraishi has bowled only 12 deliveries in List A cricket, conceding eight runs without taking a wicket. His economy rate from that brief spell stands at 4.00.

At this stage of his career, Quraishi remains a developing cricketer with limited senior-level exposure. However, his ability to contribute in both departments could make him a useful prospect for Jharkhand as he gains experience and opportunities in domestic cricket.

Duleep Trophy 2026 East Zone vs Central Zone: Playing XI

East Zone (Playing XI): Abhimanyu Easwaran, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Kumar Kushagra, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Ishan Kishan(w/c), Virat Singh, Md Kounain Quraishi, Anukul Roy, Abhijit K Sarkar, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar

Central Zone (Playing XI): Aman Mokhade, Aryan Juyal (wk), Kunal Chandela, Yash Rathod, Rajat Patidar (c), Rinku Singh, Saransh Jain, Harsh Dubey, Arshad Khan, Yash Thakur, Aryan Pandey

East Zone vs Central Zone: Squads

East Zone Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Kumar Kushagra, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Virat Singh, Ishan Kishan(w/c), Shahbaz Ahmed, Anukul Roy, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Abhijit K Sarkar, Subhranshu Senapati, Denish Das, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Shikhar Mohan

Central Zone Squad: Aayush Pandey, Aryan Juyal(w), Yash Rathod, Rajat Patidar(c), Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Saransh Jain, Arshad Khan, Zeeshan Ansari, Yash Thakur, Aryan Pandey, Kunal Chandela, Nachiket Bhute, Aman Mokhade, Kunal Singh Rathore