Abdur Rauf Magnificent ODI debut vs Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura in 2008

 

 

Abdur Rauf was born on December 9, 1978 in Renala Khurd, Punjab, and played for Pakistan from 2008 to 2009. Tall and well-built in the tradition of Punjabi fast bowlers, Abdur Rauf can generate a reasonable amount of pace with a natural movement that brings the ball back into the right-hander, but he can also extract uncomfortable bounce, which has been critical to his success and development. He made his first-class debut in October 1999. Abdur Rauf made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in February 2008. He picked up three wickets for 45 runs in 8.5 overs. However, he only appeared in one of the series' matches. Let us get into the video.

In his third odi match, against Bangladesh, he picked up his first Man-of-the-Match award. Abdur Rauf joined the national squad for a series against South Africa and Bangladesh in 2002/03 but did not play an international in either. In June 2009 following consistent performances in domestic cricket, Abdur Rauf was chosen in the 15-man Pakistani squad to tour Sri Lanka at the end of the month. He finally made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Galle in July 2009.

He got his first wicket which was a big one of Mahela Jayawardene and finished with 3 wickets in the match. His first Test match innings was 31 as a nightwatchman. After a decent performance, he was retained for the second Test starting on 12 July. He got a pair twice trapped lbw by Nuwan Kulasekara as Sri Lanka won the series.

Abdur Rauf played in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG but only picked up 1 wicket and 8 runs as Australia won. He also dropped Shane Watson when the Australian batsman was on 99, allowing him to run through to complete his maiden Test century. He was dropped for the next match. 

Read More: Archie Jackson – A Graceful and Elegant batsman

 

Ijaz Ahmad 102 not out vs Sri Lanka at Brisbane 1989-90

Ijaz Ahmad scored a hundred against Sri Lanka at Brisbane in the 6^th Match of the Benson and Hedges World Series on February 10, 1990. Sri Lanka Set a stiff target of 253 with the help of Hashan Tilakaratne 61 and Asanka Gurusinha 88.  In reply, Ijaz Ahmad came one down and started playing strokes. He scored 102 Not Out in 100 Balls with the help of 9 Fours and 1 Six in 150 minutes. Pakistan won the match by 5 wickets with 18 balls remaining. He was also declared player of the match. He also took 2 brilliant catches. This was Ijaz Ahmad's 2^nd ODI hundred.

Ijaz Ahmed born on 20 September 1968 in Sialkot. The former cricketer played 60 Test matches and 250 One Day Internationals for Pakistan from 1986 to 2001. His family roots lie in the city of Jalandhar, Indian Punjab. Some of his cousins are still live there. He is a brother-in-law of former Pakistan international cricketer and captain Saleem Malik.

Moin Khan - Pakistani Wicket Keeper

 Moin Khan is regarded as a better batsman than Rashid Latif. Both were often fighting for a place on the side in the 1990's.

Sarfraz Nawaz - The Pioneer of Reverse Swing Bowling

Sarfraz Nawaz is born on 1 December 1948 in Lahore. He is a former Pakistani Test cricketer and politician, who were instrumental in Pakistan's first Test series victories over India and England. He is known as one of the earliest exponents of reverse swing. 

Being 6’6'’ tall, Sarfraz was described "as strong as a cart-horse" and his powerful upper body and good action allowed him to bowl at a fast-medium pace. He could seam the ball in either direction and despite the convention, he repeatedly bounced other fast bowlers such as Jeff Thomson and Joel Garner.

The big, burly Punjabi bowler, Sarfraz formed a potent partnership with Imran Khan and was one of the pioneers of reverse swing. His most prolific spell came in the Melbourne Test of 1978-79, but he kept going admirably on some heartless Test pitches in Pakistan. 

He had all the ingredients of a potent fast bowler - a strong action, bouncers, Yorkers, and swings (both conventional and reverse). He was so effective that he generated good lift on docile sub-continental tracks too. He is more remembered for his 'spell from hell' - 9-86 against Australia at MCG in 1979.

He also served Northamptonshire with distinction in two stints. As a lower-order batsman, he often swung his bat and got quick runs and he averaged over 40 in a series on three occasions.

He attracted a few controversies as well. Sarfraz controversially dismissed Aussie batsman, Andrew Hilditch for handling the ball in the next test at Perth after his 'spell from hell'. His withdrawal from a home series against England also created quite a fit of anger.

Sarfaraz Nawaz proved himself a fast-medium bowler of class, a tough customer at most times who possessed absolute accuracy while bowling. His ability to hit the ball while batting lower down the order made him a useful mini-all-rounder and he was the third Pakistani to take 100 Test wickets and score 1000 Test runs. He possessed a good action and the ability to seam the bowl with equal effectiveness both ways.

On March 15, 1979, at Melbourne, he bowled a memorable spell to take nine wickets in an innings. He dismissed seven batsmen while conceding just one run from 33 balls. He was a highly controversial player due to his unconventional behavior and mood swings and bowled a succession of bouncers at other fast bowlers such as Jeff Thompson and Joel Garner. Once, protesting about his pay, he flew to England during a Test series between the two teams in Pakistan.

Following his retirement, SarfrazNawaz plunged into the complex world of Pakistan politics. He became an outspoken MP and cricket commentator. The flat wickets found in Pakistan were not ideal for a bowler of his pace, but could sometimes surprise batsmen with his ability to make to ball seam, swing, or bounce awkwardly. More importantly, Sikander Bakht Sarfraz developed reverse swing. 

Commentators did not realize this was a reverse swing at the time, though they realized that he had an uncanny ability to move the old ball in the air. He passed on his knowledge to Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis, who made this new type of bowling famous in the late 1980s and 1990s. As a batsman, he was a good lower-order striker of the ball, particularly when driving, and averaged over 40 in a series on three occasions.

Between 1969 till 1984, he played 55 Tests and 45 One Day Internationals for Pakistan and captured 177 Test wickets at an average of 32.75.

Javed Miandad in Cricket World Cup 1992

Just before the match Pakistan received a major blow as Imran Khan, their captain, was ruled out of the contest with a shoulder injury. Javed Miandad 57 off 61 balls with 5 fours at a Strike Rate of 93.44 vs West Indies at MCG in 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Miandad Join Ramiz Raja at 97 for 2, in 30^th over, as Pakistan was really struggling with the sluggish batting of Ramiz Raja and another batsman. Ramiz Raja scored 102Not out in 158 balls with the help of just four 4’s. But then, Javed Miandad was a special person. 

The very sight of the stand-in captain walking out with that trademark nothing-is-wrong-with-the-world smile lifted the spirit of many a Pakistan fan. It was not a match-winning score, but certainly a competitive one. Miandad's innings were indeed very special in terms to consider the long boundary of MCG. 

He played typical cheeky innings and took a few boundaries behind the wickets off Marshall and Ambrose's bowling. That was a treat to watch. Rameez and Miandad added 123 for the unbroken third wicket, taking 81 from the last 10 overs. Let's watch Miandad's innings

Iqbal Sikander, a leg-break bowler, and Wasim Haider, a fast-medium bowler, made their debuts in the match. In a month s time, they would write their names in the history of Pakistan cricket as their first world champions. 

The umpires Steve Randell and Ian Robinson were confused. Hooper and Harper had bowled their overs so quickly that despite having Marshall, Ambrose, and Benjamin in the line-up, West Indies had managed to bowl their 50 overs half an hour before the stipulated time. Of course, only 12 boundaries and 2 wickets contributed to the over rate as well. Later on, Pakistan won the World Cup, while West Indies did not make it to the semi-final.

Wasim Haider (economy rate 4.15) and Sikander (4.20) played 7 matches between them in the World Cup. They claimed only 5 wickets between them but did excellent containing jobs whenever they got opportunities. Surprisingly, despite being World Champions and doing competent jobs, neither played any more international cricket.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 220 for 2 in 50 overs (Rameez Raja 102*, Javed Miandad 57*) lost to West Indies 221 for no loss in 46.5 overs (Desmond Haynes 93*, Brian Lara 88 retired hurt) by 10 wickets with 19 balls to spare.

 

 

Rashid Latif - The Best ever Wicket-Keeper Pakistan has Ever Produced

Rashid Latif is born on 14 October 1968 in Karachi. A cricket coach and former cricketer who played for the Pakistan national cricket team in Tests and One Day Internationals from 1992 to 2003 as a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman. He also served as the captain of the Pakistan team in 2003, leading the country in 6 Tests and 25 one-day matches.

He took 5 dismissals against New Zealand in a World Cup match at Lahore. In those days, it was considered a rare performance to take five dismissals in an ODI inning.  He was a steady keeper and a handy lower-order batsman. Rashid Latif Took the catch of Craig Spearman off Aqib Bowling, Nathan Astle off Waqar’s Bowling, Chris Cairns off Aamir Sohail bowling, Shane Thomson of Waqar Younis Bowling, and Stephen Fleming Stumped off Salim Malik Bowling. Pakistan won the match by 46 runs. This was the last game of the league matches. Pakistan won 4 matches in five games.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first. Pakistan scored 281/5 in 50 overs, Aamir Sohail 50, Saeed Anwar 62, Ijaz Ahmad 26, Inzi 39, Salim Malik 55* and Wasim Akram 28*

In reply, New Zealand bowled out 235 runs in 47.3 overs, as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed, and Salim Malik took 2 wickets a piece, while Aamir Sohail took 1 wicket. Salim Malik was declared man of the match by his all-around performance of 55* runs and 2 for 41.

In education, Rashid Latif earned a BSc in computer systems engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology with Saeed Anwar.

Wasim Akram the King of Swing Bowling

In 1994, along with Waqar Younis, he bowled out to Sri Lanka for just 71 runs in the 3rd Test match at Kandy. He took 4 for 32 and 1 of 70 to deliver the series wins of 2-0. As that game illustrated, he could be more than a useful batsman.

Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Saleem Jaffer in 1987 World Cup.

Great Imran Khan, with his bowling Army, Wasim Akram and Saleem Jaffer in World Cup 1987. 

 

Aamir Sohail Profile - Cricket Career

Muhammad Aamir Sohail is born on 14 September 1966. He is a Pakistani cricket commentator and former cricketer. In a playing career that spanned eighteen years, Sohail played in 195 first-class and 261 List A Limited Overs matches, including 47 Test matches and 156 One Day Internationals for Pakistan. Aamir Sohail was a combative left-hand opener and a predominantly back-foot player whose forte was improvisation. He loved to attack, and almost found it impossible to control his aggression.

Aamir Sohail made his first-class debut in 1983, as a left-handed opening batsman and occasional left-arm spin bowler. An aggressive batsman, Sohail first appeared for the national team in 1990 one-day international against Sri Lanka and enjoyed a successful international career. He was an important member of the team that won the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Aamir Sohail captained Pakistan in six Tests in 1998, becoming the first Pakistani captain to defeat South Africa in a Test Match. He led Pakistan through 22 One Day Internationals from 1996 to 1998, winning nine and averaging 41.5 with the bat. He also acted as acting captain of Pakistan against the West Indies in Sharjah.

Sohail played a big role in Pakistan's World Cup triumph in 1992, famously telling Ian Botham that he might want to send his mother-in-law into bat, referring to Botham's statement that he wouldn't send even his mother-in-law to Pakistan after Botham was controversially given out for zero in the final.

In the 1996 World Cup Quarter Final in Bangalore against arch-rival India, Sohail was captaining his side in pursuit of a relatively large target of 287 in 49 overs. With opening partner Saeed Anwar, he got Pakistan off to a flying start. With the score at 109 for one and Saeed Anwar (48) back in the pavilion, Aamir Sohail smashed a delivery from Indian seamer Venkatesh Prasad through the covers for four. Both players exchanged words, and Sohail unnecessarily pointed his finger aggressively at Prasad. The next delivery clean-bowled him and triggered a batting collapse which ultimately lost the game and eliminated Pakistan from the competition.

Aamir Sohail was at the heart of the match-fixing scandal that rocked cricket in the 1990s: as captain of the national team, his whistle-blowing may have negatively affected his international career and he left the international scene early to work in broadcasting, where he might have tried harder to suppress his personal prejudices.

After retiring from cricket in 2001, Sohail became chief selector for the national team, his tenure ending in January 2004 when he was replaced by former national team wicketkeeper Wasim Bari. He continues to work as a cricket broadcaster. On 4 February 2014, he was again appointed as Chief Selector of the national team for the second time.

 

1952 at Lucknow, Pakistan recorded maiden Test victory in only their 2nd ever Test match beating India by an inns and 43 runs.

 

Imran Khan celebrates taking the final English wicket as Pakistan clinch their first World Cup Final 1992. Moin Khan is Perfoming Saajda.

 

Imran Khan savours the moment of victory, Pakistan v England, World Cup final, 1992. Mushtaq Ahmad is in jubilant behind Imran

 

Mushtaq Mohammed - was he the inventor of the reverse sweep

Pakistan former Captain Mushtaq Mohammed - was he the inventor of the reverse sweep? 1969, Surrey V Northants, JPL - Mushtaq Mohammed "displays his curious left-handed sweep shot" The first time I ever saw of it was by Kim Hughes in 1980; apparently Mushtaq was a regular user of it through the 1970s.

Mohammad Azam Khan (born March 1, 1969, Karachi, Sindh) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in one Test and 6 ODIs from 1996 to 1998.

Mohammad Azam Khan (born March 1, 1969, Karachi, Sindh) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in one Test and 6 ODIs from 1996 to 1998. He also appeared in 120 first-calss matches and scored more than 6,000 runs at 36.37 average. 

 

Pakistan Tour to England 1954

Pakistan's inaugural tour of England was a success for them as they drew the four-Test series 1-1 but it was a dreadfully wet summer with no fewer than seven days of the Test series completely washed out - three at Lord's, three at Old Trafford and one at The Oval in 1954.

Test Cricket Returned to Pakistan after 11 Years.

Test cricket returned to Pakistan after a gap of almost 11 years. Can you name the Pakistan XI which played in that historic match?

Misbah-ul-Haq at Lord's

in 2016, Misbah-ul-Haq marked his first Test at the Lord's in some style. Misbah led from the front as his classy century took Pakistan to 282-6 on day one of first England vs Pakistan Test.

Khalid Hasan Pakistani Ex Cricketer

Khalid Hasan was born in Peshawar. In 1954, 16 years 352 days old, Khalid Hasan made his Test debut for Pakistan against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. At the time Hasan was the youngest Test cricketer.

Imran Khan waiting in to lift the 1992 World Cup. He was the winning captain of Pakistan team.

Javed Miandad - The Greatest Pakistani Batsman of All Time.