Who is Fawad Ahmed: Cricketer left Pakistan for Australia as a refugee and played five times for his new country before being hit by family heartbreak

The cricket world was rocked on Tuesday after legspinner Fawad Ahmed announced the terrible news that his four-month old son had died.

Ahmed, 41, said ’till we meet again’ on Twitter as he opened up on his heartbreak, with the cricketer and his wife welcoming their second child in June. 

The veteran is a well-respected figure in cricket circles and his journey into the sport is a fascinating one. Here, Daily Mail Australia profiles the former Australia star. 

Who is Fawad Ahmed? 

Fawad Ahmed was born in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan on 5 February 1982, and made his cricket breakthrough in 2005 when he played two first-class matches for Abbottabad.

However, the right-arm spinner was dropped after two games and didn’t play another first-class match until 2009. 

His best bowling figures were 6/109, taken against the Karachi Whites in 2009, before his life took a dramatic turn one year later.

Ahmed left Pakistan in 2010, emigrating to Australia on a short term visa. However, shortly after his arrival, he claimed he was being persecuted by religious extremists for playing and coaching cricket, and applied for refugee status as a result.

He eventually settled in Melbourne on a permanent residency in 2012 and quickly progressed through the cricketing ranks.  

When did he make his Australia debut? 

After playing for Melbourne University in Victorian Premier Cricket, Ahmed earned a contact with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, before representing Victoria in the One Day Cup and Sheffield Shield.

He impressed in all formats and after being granted Australian citizenship in July 2013, Ahmed was cleared for selection for the Aussie national team.

The legspinner earnt a call up to the national team in 2013 and played five times for Australia

The following month, Ahmed made his international debut, playing for Australia in their T20 match against England in Southampton. His team won the game by 39 runs. He played five matches in total, in 50-over and 20-over formats.

Two years after, he returned to England for the 2015 Test tour after an outstanding domestic campaign, but was not selected to play. 

He has gone on to play in Canada, the Caribbean and Pakistan in various T20 competitions, before returning to the Renegades in 2023.  

Cricketer’s baby heartbreak

Tributes have poured in for Ahmed and his family after they announced their tragic news on Tuesday. 

Ahmed and his wife welcomed their second child in June but the baby faced persistent health issues.

After spending months in the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne trying to find a diagnosis, Ahmed announced on Monday that his son had passed away.

‘Till we meet again my little angel,’ he wrote alongside two photos of the tiny boy.

‘Unfortunately after a long struggle my little man has lost the painful and tough fight.

‘I believe you are in a better place, we will miss you so much.

‘‎I hope no one ever goes through this pain.’

Australian cricket player Fawad Ahmed’s son (above) has tragically passed away

The 41-year-old shared the heartbreaking news on Twitter on Tuesday

In an earlier interview with Cricket Australia, Ahmed described his son’s struggle as ‘a tough time’.

‘Every day he is growing, and the bones and the joints are getting stiffer and stiffer,’ he said. 

‘We don’t know what’s going to happen. Neither do the doctors. It’s pretty bad. You want to know. 

‘This is something that is aching the heart.’

Two months ago the baby underwent a surgery to bring forward his jaw and tongue to help with breathing after winning a weight struggle and finally reaching 3kg.

However, his health problems persisted and his eyesight became a fresh concern.

‘It’s something that’s so unexpected,’ Ahmed said.

‘You’re excited, you’re happy about the birth of your child, and then suddenly you go to some dark places, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.

‘Our lives have completely changed. Every morning, we just wake up and get ready to go to the hospital. Then in the evening, we come back. That’s it, nothing else.’