With his disguised pace variations and the illusion of a wrong-footed action, left-armer Sohail Tanvir was among the first of Pakistani T20 specialists, making a name in leagues around the world. He had played for over 20 sides, at last count, including the first 13 seasons of Pakistan's domestic T20 Cup for Rawalpindi Rams.

Tanvir's first-class debut came in 2004 and his five hundreds, including a 163 from No. 7, to go with his over 300 wickets at under 25, showed he had enough batting ability to be cast as an allrounder in the Wasim Akram mould. But though he was a regular in the Rawalpindi line-up in first-class cricket through the first two decades of the 21st century, it was in the shortest format that he shone. He came into the first T20 World Cup, in 2007, as Shoaib Akhtar's replacement off the back of a fine showing on a Pakistan Academy side tour of Bangladesh and against Australia A at home. His 6 for 14 for Rajasthan Royals in their run to the title in the first season of the IPL soon after was the best bowling performance in the tournament for over a decade. Later in 2008, he signed for Southern Redbacks in the pre-BBL KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, and in early 2012 featured in the first edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.