Trophy-winning skipper on the rise
Jawad Akhtar was handed his maiden professional contract ahead of 2025 having impressed in Academy and second-team cricket in recent seasons.
Pontefract-born Akhtar, who has signed on at Headingley for the next two years at least, is predominantly a batter, but one who is progressing his useful spin bowling too. He is a product of the Wakefield Thornes club.
Nineteen-years-old, he captained the Yorkshire Academy to Under 18s County Cup (one-day) glory in September 2024 as they beat Middlesex in the final at Kibworth CC in Leicestershire. He contributed a vital 69 to help Yorkshire recover from 50-4 batting first to post a winning total of 247-8.
Akhtar subsequently scored back-to-back second-team centuries from the middle order in September four-day clashes against Lancashire and Middlesex; 111 and 106.
He describes himself as an “adaptable” player. He has proved that with key performances against both the white ball and the red, though he believes his bowling is more developed in the limited overs game at present.
Akhtar played age-group cricket for Yorkshire and made his Academy and second-team debuts in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
He has scored three centuries in county colours, including the two aforementioned at second-team level. The other came for the Academy/Under 18s against Lancashire in 2023. So, two of his three Yorkshire centuries have come against the Red Rose.
Akhtar travelled to Pakistan to play winter cricket in Islamabad ahead of the 2025 summer, which will hopefully bring the talented teenager a first-team debut.
UPDATED: Feb 2025.
