Waqar Baloch

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Waqar Baloch

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Waqar Ihtisham

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1996|3|2}}

| birth_place = Faisalabad, Pakistan

| height =

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = Khan Research Laboratories

| clubnumber = 5

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2017–2018

| clubs1 = Sui Southern Gas

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2018–

| clubs2 = Khan Research Laboratories

| caps2 = 21

| goals2 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 2024–

| nationalteam1 = Pakistan

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 23:00, 27 July 2024 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 23:00, 10 June 2025 (UTC)

}}

Waqar Ihtisham (born 2 March 1996),{{Cite web |title=Waqar Baloch Stats, Info and performances |url=https://www.footballcritic.com/fr/waqar-baloch/profile/248911 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.footballcritic.com}}{{Cite web |title=Waqar Baloch Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/93e44d0e/Waqar-Baloch |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=FBref.com |language=en}} commonly known as Waqar Baloch is a Pakistani footballer who plays as centre-back for Khan Research Laboratories and the Pakistan national team.

Club career

= Sui Southern Gas =

Baloch started playing for Pakistan Premier League departmental side Sui Southern Gas in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Waqar Baloch (Player) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/94973/Waqar_Baloch.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.national-football-teams.com |language=en}}

= Khan Research Laboratories =

Baloch subsequently moved to Khan Research Laboratories. In the 2018–19 season he made 21 appearances scoring a goal,{{Cite web |title=Waqar Baloch - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive |url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/waqar-baloch/248911/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=globalsportsarchive.com}} helping the side clinch the league title.{{Cite web |last=Wasim |first=Umaid |date=2019-01-14 |title=Contentious PPFL season ends with controversially-promoted team denied title |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1457350 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

In the 2021–22 season, he made 10 appearances scoring two goals until the league was cancelled shortly after starting. In September 2021, he netted a goal in a 6–0 victory against Karachi United at the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium.{{Cite web |title=PPFL: KRL outplay Karachi United 6-0 - Sport bulletin |url=https://sports-bulletin.com/news-detail/ppfl-krl-outplay-karachi-united-6-0 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=sports-bulletin.com}}

International career

Baloch was first called for the 2018 Asian Games preparation camp by coach Jose Antonio Nogueira, however he was unable to secure a spot in the final squad.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-28 |title=Coach, trainer preparing Pak footballers for Asian Games |url=https://nation.com.pk/29-May-2018/coach-trainer-preparing-pak-footballers-for-asian-games |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=The Nation |language=en-US}} He was called again the next year for the 2019 Asian Games training camp under head coach Tariq Lutfi, although Pakistan ultimately not participated in the competition.{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=The Newspaper's Sports |date=2019-11-26 |title=PFF NC announces trials, camp for South Asian Games |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1518939 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

In January 2020, Baloch was named in Pakistan's squad for a two-match friendly tour in Malaysia.{{Cite web |title=National football camp concludes |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/600227-national-football-camp-concludes |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}

In August 2022, Baloch was called up for trials with the Pakistan senior national team for a friendly against Nepal, for their first fixture in nearly three-and-a-half years because of the Pakistan Football Federation's suspension by FIFA, but failed to make it to the final squad.{{cite web |last1=Farrukh |first1=Muneeb |title=Talented striker Waheed upbeat ahead of PFF Trials |url=https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40015318 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824161919/https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40015318 |archive-date=24 August 2022 |access-date=27 July 2024 |publisher=SAMAA}} He made his senior international debut on 6 June 2024 as a substitute in the second half against Saudi Arabia in their 0–3 home defeat at the 2026 World Cup qualification.{{Cite web |title=Pakistan vs. Saudi Arabia - 6 June 2024 - Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/06/06/asia/wc-qualifying-asia/pakistan/saudi-arabia/4190988/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=int.soccerway.com}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-23 |title=Tickets for Pakistan-Saudi Arabia football World Cup qualifier go up for sale |url=https://arab.news/bwnmh |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Arab News PK |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia football team arrive in Pakistan for FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier |url=https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/36780-saudi-arabia-football-team-arrive-in-pakistan-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-qualifier |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.geosuper.tv |language=en-US}}

Career statistics

= International =

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team !Year !Apps !Goals
rowspan="2" \|Pakistan \|2024 \|2 \|0
2025 \|2 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !4 !0

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+Appearances and goals by national team and year

!National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="2" |Pakistan

|2024

2025

colspan="2" |Total