Pakistan Champions Add Imad Wasim for WCL 2025

Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has been officially added to the Pakistan Champions squad for the upcoming World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 – a T20 tournament featuring retired cricket stars. The second edition of the WCL is scheduled from July 18 to August 2, 2025, in England. The Pakistan Champions franchise welcomed Imad with a celebratory announcement, calling him “a power-packed addition to the squad… an all-rounder with grit, game, and presence”.

This inclusion marks an exciting new chapter for Imad, who had retired from international cricket in late 2024 and has since been shining in T20 leagues worldwide. In fact, Imad remains a regular figure in global T20 competitions and is currently playing county T20 Blast cricket for Somerset in England. Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez has joined Pakistan Champions as a Captain for the upcoming Season 2.

Imad Wasim, known for his left-arm spin and hard-hitting batting, celebrates a wicket for Pakistan. He became only the second Pakistani bowler (and the first spinner) to take a five-wicket haul in T20 internationals, achieving figures of 5/14 against the West Indies in 2016.

Imad Early Career and Rise

Imad Wasim’s cricket journey began in unique fashion. He was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1988, but grew up in Pakistan after his family moved there during his childhood. For a time he pursued medical studies, but his passion for cricket won out – he left medical school when an opportunity arose to play for Pakistan’s Under-19 team. This decision paid off quickly. Imad was part of Pakistan’s Under-19 World Cup winning squad in 2006 and even captained the under-19 side in the next edition in 2008.

Imad leadership at youth level, coupled with solid domestic performances, set the stage for his entry into international cricket. In domestic first-class cricket, Imad proved his batting prowess with six centuries, including a double-hundred (207) in 2014 for Islamabad – a rare feat for a player primarily known as a limited-overs specialist.

By 2015, Imad’s consistent all-round showings earned him a call-up to the senior Pakistan team. He made his T20 International debut in May 2015, followed by his ODI debut in July 2015. Imad immediately showed he belonged at the top level: his accurate slow left-arm orthodox bowling and handy lower-order batting gave Pakistan a new weapon.

Imad became especially valuable in T20 cricket, often opening the bowling with the new ball to exploit any help from the pitch and using his variations to stifle batsmen. Within a year of debut, Imad achieved a historic bowling milestone – in September 2016, he recorded a five-wicket haul (5/14) in a T20I against West Indies, becoming one of only two Pakistani bowlers (after Umar Gul) to take a five-for in T20I cricket. Notably, he was the first Pakistani spinner to accomplish this in T20 internationals. This heroics underlined Imad’s emerging status as a T20 force.

International Career Highlights

Imad Wasim soon cemented his place in Pakistan’s limited-overs squads thanks to a string of impactful performances. A left-handed batter who often floated up and down the order, Imad developed a reputation for finishing games under pressure. He was an integral part of Pakistan’s historic triumph in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, where Pakistan defied all odds to claim the title. Imad featured in all of Pakistan’s matches in that tournament and chipped in with useful contributions with both bat and ball.

In fact, Imad was identified as a “key member” of the Champions Trophy winning squad, providing balance to the side with his all-round skills. The Champions Trophy victory remains a highlight of Imad’s international career, and it was made sweeter by the fact that his former U-19 teammate Sarfaraz Ahmed captained that Pakistan side (Sarfaraz is now set to join Imad in the Pakistan Champions team for WCL 2025).

Imad’s consistent performances earned him recognition at the highest level. In 2017, he was honored with Pakistan’s T20I Player of the Year award after finishing that year as the top-ranked T20I bowler in the world. At one point, he even reached the No.1 spot in the ICC T20 bowling rankings in 2017, a testament to his bowling excellence in the format.

With his flat, skid-through deliveries and pinpoint control, Imad often proved difficult to score against – his economy rate and wicket-taking ability in T20s made him Pakistan’s go-to bowler in the powerplay overs. He also occasionally captained the national side; for example, in March 2019 Imad led Pakistan’s ODI team in a match against Australia – an indication of the team management’s trust in his cricketing acumen.

One of Imad Wasim’s most memorable on-field exploits came during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. In a must-win group match against Afghanistan, Pakistan found themselves in a dire situation while chasing, but Imad’s nerves of steel carried the day. He played an unbeaten knock of 49 (off 54 balls)* under immense pressure, guiding Pakistan to a tense three-wicket victory with just two balls to spare.

That gritty performance – termed “the biggest knock of his life” by observers – kept Pakistan’s semifinal hopes alive and showcased Imad’s temperament as a finisher. Overall, Imad had a strong 2019 World Cup, scoring 162 runs at an average of 54 (often staying not out) and maintaining a brilliant economy rate of under 5 with the ball. He was one of the shining lights for Pakistan in an otherwise middling campaign, underlining his value as a true all-rounder.

Throughout his international career, Imad remained a reliable limited-overs performer. He accumulated 986 runs and 44 wickets in 55 ODIs for Pakistan, averaging an impressive 42.9 with the bat (boosted by several not-out innings). In 75 T20 Internationals, he scored 554 runs and took 73 wickets with an excellent bowling average of 21.75.

Imad Wasim best bowling figures in both formats were the aforementioned 5/14 – a feat he achieved in each format once. Though Imad never got an opportunity to play Test cricket (he has 0 Test caps), he excelled as a white-ball specialist. By the end of his Pakistan tenure in 2024, he had established himself as one of the country’s premier T20 specialists, respected globally for his all-round capabilities.

Imad Wasim Franchise and Domestic Success

Apart from his international heroics, Imad Wasim has had a prolific career in domestic and franchise T20 leagues around the world. In Pakistan’s own Pakistan Super League (PSL), Imad became a household name through his long association with the Karachi Kings. He was appointed Karachi’s captain in 2017 and led the side for multiple seasons, finally clinching the franchise’s maiden PSL title in 2020 as captain.

In the PSL 2020 final, Imad even hit the winning runs as Karachi Kings triumphed – a moment of immense pride for the all-rounderespncricinfo.com. His leadership and tight bowling were instrumental in that championship run. After a brief change in captaincy for Karachi, Imad was reappointed skipper in 2023, demonstrating his leadership value to the team.

Imad’s success, however, hasn’t been limited to his home franchise. In 2024, he moved to Islamabad United and delivered one of the most spectacular performances of his career in the PSL 2024 final. Opening the bowling for Islamabad, Imad tore through the opposition with a 5-wicket haul (5/23) – his first five-for in PSL and the best bowling figures ever recorded in a PSL final.

Beyond Pakistan’s shores, Imad Wasim has been a true globetrotter in T20 cricket. He has represented over 25 teams across various T20 leagues – from Australia’s Big Bash to the Caribbean Premier League, England’s Vitality Blast and The Hundred, Bangladesh Premier League, and even the USA’s Major League Cricket.

Retirement and Latest Chapter: WCL 2025

After a decade-long career with the national team, Imad Wasim announced his retirement from international cricket in late 2024. This came after he had briefly reversed an earlier retirement decision to participate in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he was again among Pakistan’s best bowlers (economy rate 4.00) in the matches he playeden.

By the end of 2024, at age 36, Imad decided to step away from international duty for good, turning his focus to franchise leagues and other opportunities. His retirement coincided with an era where many of his contemporaries also transitioned out of international cricket.

Now, in 2025, Imad’s journey has come full circle in a way – he will don the green of Pakistan once more, albeit in a legends tournament. His inclusion in the Pakistan Champions squad for the WCL T20 2025 has generated excitement among fans who are eager to see him team up with other Pakistani greats.

The inaugural WCL was held in 2024, where India (led by Yuvraj Singh) defeated Pakistan in a thrilling final to claim the title. In that first season, the Pakistan Champions side – captained by the legendary Younis Khan – was among the standout teams, even posting a record 243/4 against India in one group match. They fell just short in the final, but the stage is now set for redemption in 2025.

Imad Wasim Career Statistics and Records

Imad Wasim’s career is a story of a modern T20 all-rounder who succeeded at every level – from youth championships to international trophies and franchise leagues. His latest venture in WCL 2025 shows that the “Professor of Powerplay” (as some dub him for his bowling in the first six overs) isn’t done entertaining fans just yet.