Falcons T20 Recruitment 2026

It’s been a busy summer for the Falcons, with both Mickey Arthur and Jon Dyson adding to their squads ahead of the 2026 Vitality Blast.

Here, we take a look at the new additions who are hoping to wow supporters with big hits, huge wickets and match-winning moments this summer, as the Falcons Men and Women look to reach Finals Day.

A Pakistan international and a sought after player on the franchise circuit, Sofyan Moqim brings exciting mystery spin to the Falcons attack for the first half of the 2026 Vitalty Blast.

Moqim, who played under Mickey Arthur at Rangpur Riders in the 2026 Bangladesh Premier League, has appeared 23 times for for his nation and claimed best T20-figures of 5-3 against Zimbabwe in December 2024.

Mohammad Ghazanfar

The Falcons’ leading T20 wicket-taker in 2025, Mohammad Ghazanfar returns to Derbyshire for the second-half of the 2026 campaign, once his IPL commitments with Mumbai Indians come to an end.

Regarded as one of the brightest young players in world cricket, the 19-year-old has made his mark in various tournaments around the world and on the international stage for Afghanistan, with whom he has was been named in a world ODI Team of the Year for 2024.

Capable of bamboozling oppositing batters with an array of variations, including changing up his speed, length and which way the ball turns, Ghazanfar will be a key addition to the Falcons side as the Vitality Blast reaches the business end.

Shoaib Bashir

A current England international, the signing of Shoaib Bashir on a two-year deal represents a statement of intent from Mickey Arthur, as the Falcons go in search of success across all formats in 2026.

Much of Bashir’s success has come in the red ball game, with the spinner picking up four five-wicket hauls in just 19 Test matches against the likes of India and West Indies, and at just 22-years-old, he’s keen to develop his white ball skills.

Matt Montgomery

Making the trip down the A52, Matt Montgomery joins the Falcons from Nottinghamshire after enjoying a strong 2025 campaign with the Outlaws, despite strong interest from a number of other counties.

His 15 wickets were bettered by only one Notts bowler, while his bowling average of 18.06 was the best of any North Group spinner who bowled ten overs or more in the competition. Montgomery also scored 190 runs with a strike-rate of more than 160, showing his big-hitting potential.

Falcons fans are already familiar with Montgomery’s ability after his stellar loan spell during the 2025 Metro Bank One-Day Cup, in which he scored 422 runs at an average of 70.33, including two centuries.

Caleb Jewell

The leading run-scorer in all of county cricket last season, Caleb Jewell returns to the Falcons for the 2026 campaign after a winter in his native Australia with Tasmania and Melbourne Renegades.

Jewell, a former Big Bash winner, was a key performer across all formats last summer, accumulating more than 1,800 runs at the top of the order on the way to becoming a fan favourite with the Falcons’ faithful.

Falcons Women 

Jon Dyson has recruited heavily this winter, adding nine new faces as the Falcons Women aim to build on a historic 2025 season, which saw them compete in Tier Two for the first time and narrowly missed out on a place at Vitality Blast Finals Day.

Last season’s Batter of the Year, Lara Shaw, and England Under 19s prospect, Maria Andrews, return on-loan from The Blaze, while Ellie Nightingale also re-signs in a temporary switch from Yorkshire.

Liv Baker (The Blaze), Prisha Bedi (Essex), Lauren Kenvyn (Warwickshire), Aamna Khan (Warwickshire) and Malisha Tennakoon (Warwickshire) will all spend the season on-loan with Derbyshire. Matilda Gater joins from Staffordshire and Emily Hughes making the move from Notts. Beth Slater and Frances Lonsdale have joined following their release by Yorkshire.

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