Introduction 

Salman Mirza: Why He’s Not Playing Right Now

 

In recent weeks, many cricket fans have repeatedly asked: Why is Salman Mirza not playing? Given his promising performances and potential, his absence from the playing XI has sparked curiosity, debate, and even frustration. In this blog, we’ll deeply explore the reasons, backed by recent news, real-life examples, and expert commentary. 

 

 

Who Is Salman Mirza?

 

To understand why Salman Mirza is not playing right now, we first need to appreciate who he is and what he has achieved. Salman Mirza is a left-arm medium-fast bowler from Pakistan, born on January 1, 1994. He is associated domestically with Lahore Qalandars (through their Player Development Program), Lahore Blues, and has also played for Mountaineers abroad. 

 

On his international debut, Salman Mirza made quite an impression. He played his first T20I for Pakistan in July 2025 against Bangladesh and took 8 wickets in his first few T20  

 

 

The Core Reasons: Why Salman Mirza Is Not Playing

 

1. Tactical Depth and Bowling Competition

 

One of the main reasons for Salman Mirza’s exclusion is simply the depth of Pakistan’s bowling unit. According to Pakistan’s T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, the management continues to rely on proven, more experienced bowlers in major tournaments.  

 

Given this level of competition, Mirza’s spot becomes more tenuous. Even though he performed impressively in his earlier outings, the selectors appear to prefer experience when building the attack for big series.

 

2. Selection Strategy for Major Tours

 

When Pakistan selected their squad for the West Indies T20I series, Salman Mirza was surprisingly left out, despite his strong performance in the prior Bangladesh series. The rationale offered by Agha and other team management linked to strategic planning: they leaned on seasoned pace options for the Caribbean leg. 

 

This exclusion suggests that although Mirza is in the wider training and development pool, he hasn’t yet cemented his place in the “core” bowling unit for tours where proven experience 

 

3. Domestic & Development League Dynamics

 

At the domestic level, Salman Mirza is a product of the Lahore Qalandars Players Development Program (PDP), which aims to unearth emerging talent. While this pathway has delivered results — Mirza being one of its success stories — it also places him in a somewhat transitional role: sometimes in the spotlight, sometimes on the periphery.

 

 

4. Long-Format Aspirations

 

Interestingly, Salman Mirza has expressed a desire to play red-ball cricket and gain exposure in the longer format. In his own words, he believes that to develop as a bowler, longer matches are essential — they build stamina, refine rhythm, and test consistency. That ambition may be influencing how selectors and coaches view his role: perhaps holding him back from too frequent T20 selection in favour of helping him develop more broadly.

 

5. Contract and Central-Contract Status

 

Another factor could be Mirza’s contract category. According to PCB contract listings, he is classified in a lower “category D” tier.  

 

 

6. Management Signals and Long-Term Vision

 

Beyond individual performance, Mirza’s current sidelining might be part of a broader long-term vision by Pakistan’s management. Selecting experienced bowlers in big series shows a balancing act: nurturing young talent like Mirza while maintaining solidity with seasoned names. Also, when questioned after his exclusion, Agha emphasised team strategy over sidelining talent permanently. 

 

Salman Mirza Real-Life Examples That Mirror His Situation

 

To better understand the dynamic around Salman Mirza, we can draw parallels with other cricketers:

 

Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh): Early in his career, Mustafizur showed tremendous promise in T20S and international cricket. However, Bangladesh’s selection committee sometimes rotated him to manage his workload and develop him for longer formats too.

 

Josh Hazlewood (Australia): Known for his seam accuracy, Hazlewood was not always the fastest but was chosen selectively because of his craft;

 

Shaheen Afridi in Pakistan: Even Shaheen, a superstar now, was carefully introduced and managed early in his career — balancing his explosive potential with workload and building trust gradually.

 

What the Fans Are Saying

 

Fans have not stayed quiet about Salman Mirza’s absence. On platforms like Reddit, passionate supporters have voiced disappointment:

 

 

How Many Viral Sees Salman Mirza Potential

 

At ManyViral, we follow rising stars and narratives that deserve attention. We see Salman Mirza as not just another young bowler, but as a talent with a real chance to grow into a core member of Pakistan’s pace department. ManyViral believes that his managed exclusion could be a blessing in disguise — giving him space to refine his game, build his endurance, and prove himself across formats.

 

 

Salman Mirza The Risks if Things Don’t Go Right

 

However, there’s a risk in this strategy. If Salman Mirza doesn’t get enough match time, especially in strong domestic or A-level matches, he could stagnate. Young fast bowlers need game time to learn, adjust, and grow. Without regular high-quality exposure, his raw ability might not translate fully to international success.

 

 

How He (and Pakistan) Can Fix This

 

To make the most of Salman Mirza’s talent, several things could help:

 

1. More Red-Ball Opportunities: Given his stated interest, giving him red-ball exposure in domestic first-class cricket could build his stamina, consistency, and temperament.

 

 

2. Rotational Strategy: Rather than having him sit out tours entirely, the management could use a rotational strategy — giving him games in less critical series or earlier in tournaments to build experience.

 

 

3. Mentorship and Coaching: Pairing Mirza with senior bowlers or specialised coaches will help him refine his technique, especially as a left-arm seamer, which is a valuable skill.

 

 

4. Confidence-Building: Management and selectors should publicly reaffirm his place in the larger pool, even if he doesn’t play every match. That reassurance can go a long way in maintaining a young player’s morale.

 

Final Thoughts

 

So, why is Salman Mirza not playing? The answer lies in a mixture of strategic selection, deep bowling competition, his own developmental goals, and contract realities. It’s not a matter of lacking talent — far from it. He is a bright, left-arm pace prospect who has shown that he can be influential in both domestic leagues and international cricket.

 

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