He’ll be a part of a seam assault led by Jamie Porter and Sam Cook dinner, who’ve taken a mixed complete of 899 first-class wickets, backed up primarily by Shane Snater and one other winter signing, Mitchell Killeen.
There can be no return to Chelmsford in 2026 for New Zealand all-rounder Doug Bracewell, although, after he just lately introduced his retirement.
Akhter says he hopes to supply “a little bit of tempo, a game-changing spell and a some useful runs with the bat”.
He got here by the South Asian Cricket Academy, a non-profit organisation set as much as deal with the shortage of illustration of British South Asians in skilled cricket.
Akhter didn’t make his first-class debut till he was 24, having skilled again issues as a youthful bowler.
“I had stress fractures after I was 18 in my decrease again after which had one other again downside in that season I used to be trialling with Essex,” he stated.
“Whenever you’re not on the workers, you may’t actually communicate to physios or something. So I used to be getting exterior assist, which was superb and acquired me again on the pitch.
“I needed to flip just a few video games down in the midst of the season to get myself proper however these little setbacks after I was youthful gave me a bit extra time to grasp my very own recreation, figuring just a few issues out myself.
“You see now guys making Check debuts previous the age of 30, so if you aren’t getting signed at 18, it isn’t the top of the world.”
Essex begin the 2026 season with an away Championship recreation in opposition to Hampshire on 3 April.
