Shafiqullah Ghafari signs one-year contract extension with Durham for 2027

“I have enjoyed being part of this team over the last couple of years and contributing when I can,” Shafiqullah Ghafari said after signing a one-year contract extension with Durham to keep him at the club for the 2027 season.

Ghafari Leads Durham Wickets in One-Day Cup

The 24-year-old leg-spin bowler made 10 appearances in the One-Day Cup during the 2026 campaign, helping push Durham to the semi-finals. Ghafari recorded career-best List A figures of 4-36 against Lancashire at Old Trafford in August. He finished the competition as Durham’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets. Cricket World noted that his white-ball contributions have established him as a regular contributor to Durham’s white-ball attack.

Ghafari Limits Red-Ball Appearances but Excels in League

While Ghafari anchored the white-ball squad, his red-ball exposure in county competition remained limited. He featured just once in Durham’s County Championship Division Two promotion campaign, appearing in the final game against Lancashire. However, Cricket World added that Ghafari has claimed 39 first-class wickets across 12 previous matches and took five wickets from two appearances in 2025. Away from county fixtures, Ghafari played 23 games for Richmondshire in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League in 2026, taking 65 wickets. Over four seasons with Richmondshire, he has amassed 345 wickets and is closing in on 2,000 runs.

Future Outlook Across Formats

Durham Director of Cricket and High-Performance Coaching Ryan Campbell expressed confidence in the bowler’s development. Cricket World cited Campbell stating that Ghafari bowled exceptionally well throughout the One-Day Cup and that another strong pre-season will help him push on and perform for Durham with both a red and a white ball across formats. Ghafari himself noted his desire to build on his limited-overs success, stating to the Durham club website that he hopes to continue taking wickets across all formats into the next season.

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