Category Pakistan Cricket Board

Apr 6 2015

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali  born 19 February 1985 in Kasur, Punjab) is a Pakistani international cricketer and current captain of Pakistan ODI team and the vice captain of the Pakistan Test team.[1] He made his Test debut for Pakistan against Australia in the first Test at Lord’s in July 2010. He is a right-hand batsman and an occasional leg-break bowler who has played for Lahore, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Abbottabad, Khan Research Laboratories, Punjab and Huntly (Scotland) during his career.[2] Azhar Ali is known for his temperament and concentration during batting in tests. He is technically sound who works hard for his runs, and is a fine test batsmen in the current Pakistan team.

Starting against Australia and England

Following the exclusion of middle-order stalwarts Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf from the Pakistani team in 2010, Ali was drafted into the lineup for the Test series against Australia and England in July 2010. He made his debut against Australia in July, along with Umar Amin; Azhar scored 17 runs in his debut innings before he was caught behind by Tim Paine. In the second innings, he scored 42 as Pakistan lost the match by 150 runs.[3] In the second Test match against Australia, he scored 30 runs in the first innings, followed by his maiden half century in the second as Pakistan recorded their first Test victory over the Australians in fifteen years.[4] He struggled in the first two Tests against England, recording a 32-ball duck during the second match as Pakistan were bundled out for 72. Following these disastrous collapses Mohammad Yousuf was recalled to the squad and Amin lost his place, but Azhar was given another opportunity and found his feet in the third Test, scoring an unbeaten 92.

South Africa series in November 2010

Ali retained his place in the Test squad for the series against South Africa in November. He scored half centuries in both innings of the first Test, and helped Pakistan, chasing an improbable 451, avoid defeat with a crucial fourth-innings partnership with the returning Younus Khan. He top-scored with 90 in the first innings of the second Test, before producing another solid performance alongside captain Misbah-ul-Haq in the second innings, finishing unbeaten after facing 135 deliveries to secure another draw.

January 2011: Tour of New Zealand

Following consistent performances against South Africa backed up with experience against England and Australia the selectors picked Ali for the two-match test series against New Zealand in January 2011, also young Pakistan batsman Asad Shafiq was given a place alongside Ali.[5] In the first innings of the first match Ali only managed 18 and wasn’t required to bat in the following innings as Pakistan won by 10-wickets. During the second match of the series Azhar was on 62* at Stumps registering his sixth half-century in the process.

June 2012: Tour of Sri Lanka

Azhar was picked in the both ODI and Test squad for the Sri Lankan tour in 2012. He was impressive in the ODIs by scoring 96 in the 2nd ODI and 81* in the 4th ODI, and became the second Pakistani to carry his bat after Saeed Anwar. He finished the series as the leading run-scorer for Pakistan [6] Azhar Ali made his 4th test hundred and finished on 157 in the 1st innings of the 2nd test at SSC.
Azhar continued his good form and made consecutive centuries as he scored 136 in the 2nd innings. His crucial innings enabled him make into the Top-10 of ICC Test Rankings for the first time, as he joined Graeme Smith on 753 points.

Captaincy

After Misbah Ul Haq retired from ODIs,The Pakistan Cricket board had a tough job to do while appointing Misbah’s successor. The potential candidates were either too inconsistent or had some disciplinary issues. Sarfraz Ahmed gave the selectors a long thought but the board finally decided to go in favor of Azhar Ali who hadn’t played ODI cricket for almost 2 years at the time of his appointment. While this decision was opposed by many, Azhar Ali seemed determined to take the Pakistani team right on top. He was appointed National Captain on 29th of March 2015.
Jan 15 2015

Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq Khan Niazi (born 28 May 1974 at Mianwali, Punjab) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is the current Test and One Day International (ODI) captain of the Pakistan national cricket team. He is a solid middle-order batsmen best known for his composure with the bat whilst also having the ability to be an aggressive big shot player when required. He is the top scorer in ODI cricket among those players who haven’t scored a century in ODI. Misbah has an MBA degree from theUniversity of Management and Technology in Lahore, Punjab.[1] He belongs to the popular tribe of Pashtun known as Niazitribe. 
Career
Related to the former Pakistan captain turned politician Imran Khan,[2] Misbah ul Haq was initially noticed for his technique and his temperament in the Tri-nation tournament in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002, as he scored two fifties in the three innings in which he played, however, over the next three Tests he played against Australia, he failed to score more than twenty runs and was soon dumped from the team. Having witnessed Pakistan being eliminated in the opening phase of the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Misbah was part of the changes made to the team in the aftermath of these results, but failed to make much of an impact and was soon dropped again.
Comeback
At the age of 33, Misbah was chosen to play in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, filling the middle order spot vacated by Inzamam-ul-Haq. He had been regularly making runs in Pakistani domestic cricket and in the years before his recall he was consistently one of the top run scorers at each season’s end, with his first-class average briefly climbing above 50.
Misbah was one of the stars of the tournament, playing a large part in many thrilling run chases. The first was in the group stage against India where he scored a half century in a tied match. He was run out attempting the winning run off the last ball of the match. In their Super 8s encounter with Australia he was named Man of the Match with an unbeaten 66 off 42 deliveries to see his side home with 5 balls to spare. Another unbeaten innings in the semi final against New Zealand saw Pakistan book a spot in the final against India.
He played an instrumental role in Pakistan’s recovery in the inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20 final against arch-rivals India, with Four sixes. He hit the second legitimate ball of the last over for six. With 6 runs needed to win off 4 remaining balls, Misbah tried to scoop the ball over short fine leg, but was caught out by Sreesanth.
Misbah scored his first Test hundred against India at Kolkata in the 2nd Test of the 2007 series. After India managed 616 in their first innings, Pakistan were at 5 for 150 in reply and in danger of following on when Misbah and Kamran Akmal put together a match saving 207 run stand. Misbah finished on 161 not out. In the 3rd & final Test of the series, Misbah made another fluent century this time finishing on 133 not out.
2008 began with some high points for Misbah as he was elevated to the post of Vice – Captain of the Pakistan team and was awarded a Grade A Contract. Since returning to International Cricket for Pakistan, Misbah has gone through a sustained patch of prolific run scoring. In his last 5 Test Match innings for Pakistan, he has notched up 458 runs at a very high batting average of 152.67 against India. In his last 5 ODIs as well, Misbah has made 190 Runs at an average of 63.33 & in Domestic Cricket for Punjab, he has amassed an astounding 586 runs at an average of 195.33 with 2 centuries and his highest first-class score of 208*. He holds the record for having scored the most ODI fifties without ever having scored a century, which is 26, having surpassed New Zealand’s Andrew Jones’ 25. Misbah has completed his MBA.
Misbah was dropped from the team after the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 owing to a dismal performance with the bat, and missed the team’s controversial tour of England in August 2010. 
Captaincy
Due to the batting-collapses that Pakistan suffered during England tour 2010 and spot-fixing controversy, Misbah was recalled for the subsequent tour against South Africa in the UAE to lead as a captain of the team for test series. After resignation of Shahid Afridi as test captain and suspended captain Salman Butt due to spot-fixing scandal, Misbah was preferred over Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Kamran Akmal as captain. Wasim Akram stated that although the decision was surprising if Misbah bats and fields well everything else will go according to plan.  Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson stated that he believed Misbah has the best cricketing brain within Pakistan and he will do incredibly well in the plans for the captaincy  Misbah hit back at those who criticised the decision to appoint him captain and stated that he should be given a chance to prove himself[6] In his first match as test captain he set an example for his team when he scored 71* in a 168 run partnership with Younus Khan this helped Pakistan salvage a draw from the match. Misbah has led Pakistan in 33 test matches, winning 15, losing 9 with 8 draws. In 2012 Misbah led Pakistan to a clean sweep against the world number one ranked team England and also become only 2nd Pakistani captain to win the Asia Cup after Moin Khan. He has won 6 out of 10 series during his captaincy, winning series against New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, England and South Africa (a feat no Pakistani captain had been able to manage before Misbah), drawing against South Africa and the West Indies, and losing to South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Mar 3 2014

Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal   born 13 January 1982) is a Pakistani cricketer who has played Tests, ODIs and T20Is for Pakistan as a wicket-keeper.[1] He is a right-handed batsman. Akmal started his international career in November 2002 with a Test match which Pakistan won at Harare Sports Club.[2] He has made 2648 runs in 53 Test matches with the help of six centuries, while in 137 ODIs, he has scored 2924 runs with the help of five centuries. In T20Is, he has scored 704 runs.[1] As a wicket-keeper, he has dismissed 206, 169 and 52 batsmen in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively

International career

Kamran Akmal is a quick-scoring batsman and a wicket-keeper, who has achieved 6 centuries in Test innings. However, his first century was vital – his 109 from the number eight position at Mohali, coming in with Pakistan in a lead of 39 against India in the first Test, ensured that the visitors could draw the match. His form against the touring English in 2005 made him one of the most important players in the team. Naturally, he is a batsman that plays lower down the order but has sometimes opened in both Test and One-day cricket. As an opener he has scored two back to back centuries in ODIs against England. Coming in lower down the order in Test matches, he played one memorable innings. He saved Pakistan from a score of 39/6, scoring a century, to a competitive 245 which helped Pakistan win the match and the series.
His batting was highly productive in early 2006 as he scored seven international hundreds within the space of 6 months. Since his tour of England in Summer 2006 however his batting form dwindled and steadily become worse. His wicket-keeping also worsened and dropped many catches on both the England tour and on a tour to South Africa in early 2007. He then scored an international hundred in the Bangladeshi tour of Pakistan in 2008. He later moved to have some injuries and did not play for some days but later he was again brought into the team. Akmal was dropped for the Asia Cup 2008 as a result of his poor wicket-keeping. He was replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed who performed very well at the domestic level and also because of Sarfraz’s strong showing in the U-19 World Cup. Akmal was named in the 30 man probable squad for the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy.
Akmal was part of the Pakistan team that won the T20 World Cup in 2009. He was notable for his quick stumpings, dismissing 4 batsmen in one match against Netherlands. On 12 November 2008, Akmal hit two consecutive 6s in the last over. As a result Pakistan won the first ODI in Abu Dhabi against West Indies. On 17 July 2010, Akmal was appointed the vice-captain of the Pakistani test squad but later removed because of his alleged involvement in spot fixing.[3]In August 2012, Akmal was recalled for the three ODI series against Australia.[4]

Match fixing allegations

In the 2nd Test match on the 2009–10 tour of Australia, Akmal dropped four catches in the Australian innings, three of those coming from Michael Hussey. Hussey went on to score 134* and was involved in a massive 9th wicket partnership stand of 133 runs with Peter Siddle. Pakistan eventually went on to lose the match by 36 runs, after being dismissed for just 139 in the second innings. Later it was alleged that he, along with pace bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were involved in match fixing, and were questioned by Pakistan Cricket Board and subsequently dropped for the Twenty20 series against England.[5]
In early September 2010 The International Cricket Council sent an official notice to Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal telling him that he is under investigation for allegedly fixing the Sydney Test.[3] For the subsequent series against South Africa in October 2010 Akmal had an operation to remove his appendix and was unavailable for the limited-overs squad. Akmal was able to recover from the operation to participate in the two-match test series but Zulqarnain Haider was selected ahead of him [6] Another reason also emerged that Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin and Yasir Hameed were not selected for the tour due to the fact that suspicions were raised that they were involved with the spot-fixing scandal that included Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif. Another player Wahab Riaz was under investigation for fixing but the ICC had interrogated him and he was no longer part of the investigation therefore he was allowed to take part on the tour of South Africa that included two Twenty20 Internationals, five ODI matches and two Test matches. Though this has not been confirmed by the board, it is believed that the reason they were not picked was that the suspicion had not been cleared.[7] The ICC confirmed that Akmal had been barred from entering the team. Once his investigation was completed he was available for national selection.[8]

Wicket-keeping

Kamran Akmal has been constantly criticized for his lack of consistent wicket-keeping. After another horrendous series behind the stumps against Sri Lanka in January 2009 journalists and former players called for his removal from the national team.[9] His wicket-keeping steadily improved, with a very strong showing in the 2009 T20 World Cup, including a world-record performance of four stumpings in a single match against the Netherlands. However during the second test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground he dropped four catches, including three chances from Michael Hussey in one session on Day 4. Hussey went on to score a match winning century with the Pakistan team losing in a shock result after dominating the first three days of play.[10][11] He was subsequently dropped for the third test, being replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed. After this tour Akmal saw a steady improvement in his wicket-keeping for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, 2010 Asia Cup and against Australia in July 2010 however the next test series against England saw Akmal drop three easy catches and miss a stumping. The match as a consolation saw Akmal take a superb catch of Kevin Pietersen before dropping a catch on the very next ball against Paul Collingwood. In the first innings Akmal dropped a catch of Eoin Morgan when he was on 23 who then went on to score 130.[12] Despite having another keeper, Zulqarnain Haider, in the squad, Pakistani captain Salman Butt announced it was too early in the series as only one match had been played to decide the fate of Kamran Akmal.[13]

Personal life

Kamran Akmal comes from a large family, of which two of his brothers, Adnan Akmal and Umar Akmal, are also professional cricketers, the former being a keeper-batsman and the latter being a specialist batsman as well as part-time wicket-keeper. He married in 2006 and lives with his wife, Aaiza, and their daughter, Laiba.[14] He is a graduate of Beaconhouse School System Garden Town, Lahore.[15]

IPL career

Akmal was signed on to the Rajasthan Royals, and played in the inaugural season of the IPL. He played five matches in the tournament, as wicket-keeper and top-order batsman, including the final of the tournament against the Chennai Super Kings. He took two catches in the first innings, however he was run out for six runs during the Royal’s chase. The Royals went on to win the tournament after a thrilling finish. He did not play in 2009 because Pakistani players were not selected by any IPL teams to participate that season as a result of the tense atmosphere after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
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Dec 19 2013

Abdul Qadir

Abdul Qadir Khan   born 15 September 1955 in Lahore) is a former Pakistani international cricketer whose main role was as a leg spin bowler.[1] Later he was a commentator and Chief Selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board, from which post he resigned because of differences with the top brass of Pakistan cricket. Qadir appeared in 67 Test and 104 One Day International (ODI) matches between 1977 and 1993, and captained the Pakistan cricket team in five ODIs. In Test cricket, his best performance for series was 30 wickets for 437 runs, against Engalnd in 1987. His best bowling figures for an innings were nine wickets for 56 against the same team at the Gaddafi Stadium. In ODIs, his best bowling figures were five wickets for 44 runs against Sri Lanka during the 1983 Cricket World Cup. He was a member of Pakistani team in 1983 and 1987 Cricket World Cups. Yahoo! Cricket described Qadir as “a master of the leg-spin” who “mastered the googlies, the flippers, the leg-breaks and the topspins.”[2] He is widely regarded as a top spin bowler of his generation and was included in Richie Benaud’s Greatest XI shortlist of imaginary cricket team from the best players available from all countries and eras. Former English captain Graham Gooch said that “Qadir was even finer than Shane Warne”
Natural talent combined with aggression and passion made Qadir one of the most successful spinners of his era. He had a distinct run-up, bounding in to the crease, and a great variety of deliveries: there was the orthodox leg-break, the topspinner, two googlies and the flipper. He was unique for bowling leg spin at a time when it was not only rare but considered obsolete, and he kept the torch alight for a generation of leg spinners. His fervent appeals made him a great favourite with the spectators but sometimes got him into trouble with umpires.[7] Qadir played 67 Test matches during 1977–90 and took 236 wickets, with an average of 32.80, including 15 five-wicket hauls. His best bowlig performance was against England at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore in 1987. He also scored 1,029 runs including three fifties.[1]
Qadir made his Test debut at his home ground, Gaddafi Stadium, against England in December 1977; he took one wicket in the solitary innings and made 11 runs in the only innings he played.[8] In the second innins of the second Test played at the Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, he took his first five-wicket haul—six wickets for 44 runs in 24 overs.[note 1] Qadir remained highest wicket taker of the series, taking 12 wickets in three matches conceding 305 runs.[10] Qadir’s second Test series, in England in 1978, was an injury-plagued let-down, but he was a strong and established force by his return in 1982, when his six wickets in the Lord’s Test played a major role in a historic Pakistani victory.[11] He took ten wickets in the series with an average of 40.60.[12]
Qadir’s first significant performance came in the 1982–83 series against Australia, taking seven wickets for 156 runs and 11 wickets for for 218 runs in the first two Test maches—man of the match in both the matches.[13][14] He accumulated 22 wickets—Pakistani record against Australia—conceding 562 runs and with the average of 25.54 in the three-Test series.[15][16] Due to his perforemance with the ball, he won the man of the series award for first time in his Test career.[17] Pakistan cleen-sweeped the series, winnig the first and the third Test by nine wickets each, and the second Test by an innings and three runs.[18] Qadir took 19 wickets for 451 runs with the help of three five-wicket hauls in following home series against England.[19] Pakistan recorded their first series win against England.[20] In 1985–86 home series against Sri Lanka, he took six wickets in the third match at Karachi.[21]
At the Kennington Oval in 1987, Qadir’s ten-wicket haul ensured another series win, this time in England.[22] Three months later, Qadir brought his art to an all new level – in the next home series against the same team – taking 30 wickets for 437 runs in three Tests including the best bowling figures in an innings by a Pakistani, nine wickets for 56 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium.[1][23] This is also the seventh best performance for an innings in Test cricket, and the best by any bowler against England.[24][25] He achieved his career best performance in an innings, 61 runs, at the National Stadium, Karachi.[26] Qadir’s tremendous performance earned him another man of the series award, and Pakistan won another series against England.[17][25] During this crusade, he moved past the 200-wicket mark, becoming the first man from his country ever to do so. Qadir was ineffective against India in the 1989–90 home series, taking only six wickets from four Tests with an average above 57.[27] He played his last Test against the West Indies in December 1990 at the Gaddafi Stadium.[28]

One Day International career

Qadir made his ODI debut against New Zealand at Edgbaston during 1983 Cricket World Cup; he took four wickets for 21 runs in 12 overs, earning him the man of the match award.[29] He took 12 wickets for 264 runs in the tournament with an average of 22.00,[30] including a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka at the Headingley Stadium, Leeds.[31] In the 1983–84 World Series Cup, Qadir played eight matches and took 15 wickets at the average of 18.13,[32] including five wickets for 53 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a match Pakistan lost by 43 runs.[33] In the 1985–86 home season, he took six wickets against Sri Lanka,[34] and five wickets against the West Indies including four wickets for 17 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium.[35][36] Qadir’s eight wickets in six matches were the second highest figures against India in 1986–87.[37]
Qadir captained the Pakistan cricket team during England’s tour to Pakistan, losing all the three matches; he topped the list of highest wicket takers during the 1987–88 series between the teeams, with eight wickets at the average of 13.17.[38] He took six wickets during the 1988–89 Wills Asia Cup at the average of 17.00,[39] including three wickets for 27 runs, against India in the fifth match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka.[40] During the Nehru Cup in 1989–90, he was second in the list of leading wicket takers, with 12 wicket from seven matches at the average of 21.75.[41] His best figure in a match during the tournament were three wickets for 27 runs, against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium, Bombay.[42] Qadir played his last ODI against Sri Lanka at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in 1993.[43] In total, Qadir played 104 ODIs during 1977–93, taking 132 wickets and averaged 26.16. He also took two fiv-wicket hauls, including his best ODI performance of five wickets for 44 runs against Sri Lanka during the 1983 World Cup.[1][31] He scored 641 runs in ODIs, and his highest score in this format of the game was 41 not out.[1]

Captaincy

Qadir was not successful as a captain. He captained the Pakistan cricket team in five Test matches during 1987–88 and 1988–89, losing four of them.[44] He captained Pakistan for the first time against England, in absence of regular captain, Javed Miandad.[45] The three matches he captained in, against the same team, were lost by Pakistan.[46] In ODI matches, Qadir captained Pakistan against Bangladesh and India in the fourth and fifth match of the 1988 Asia Cup respectively; Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 173 runs, and lost to India by four wickets.[47][48]

As chief selector

Abdul Qadir replaced Saleem Jaffar, former Pakistan fast bowler, as chief selector in November 2008 for the series against India.[49] A series of three Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan; the series could not take place due to the deterioration of both countries’ diplomatic relationship after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[50] His next assignment was team selection for the home series against Sri Lanka; the tour was arranged as a replacement for the scheduled tour of India which was cancelled by BCCI.[51][52] The series was abondened following an attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore during the second Test between the teams.[53] Qadir resigned from the post in June 2009 without explaining any concern.[54]

Controversy

Talking with Hasan Jalil at Pakistan Television (PTV) show in 2004, Qadir said: “We all know the ball has always been made up [tampered with] by Pakistani fast bowlers, but with so much scrutiny on this series, this has not been possible.”[55] PTV cancelled his contract stating that “We are a national network and we have certain codes of conduct on what can and cannot be said on air. By talking about ball-tampering and claiming that every successful Pakistani bowler had ‘made’ the ball, he was damaging national pride, and that is against our policy. So we dropped him.”[56]

Personal life

Qadir was born on 15 September 1955 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1] His brother, Ali Bahadur, was also a leg-spinner who appeared in 10 first class matches during 1986–87.[57] Qadir’s three sons—Rehman Qadir, Imran Qadir and Sulaman Qadir—also represented different Pakistani teams in the first class competetion,[58][59][60] while his younger son, Usman Qadir, has played in 12 List A matches.[61]
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Dec 16 2013

Saleem Yousuf

Saleem Yousuf (born December 7, 1959) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 32 Tests and 86 ODIs from 1982 to 1990. He was a wicket keeper. He made his highest Test score of 91 not out against England at Edgbaston in 1987. One of his most memorable innings was in a match against the West Indies in the 1987 World Cup, which turned certain defeat into victory for Pakistan.
Post-retirement

After retirement, he served on the Selection Committee for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Nowadays he is serving as Principal Appraiser in Pakistan Customs Service.

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Dec 15 2013

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi ( born Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi  born on 1 March 1980)[2] is a Pakistani cricketer. Between 1996 and 2012, Afridi played 27 Tests, 350 One Day Internationals, and 59 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for the Pakistani national team. He made his ODI debut on 2 October 1996 against Kenya and his Test debut on 22 October 1998 against Australia. He is known for his aggressive batting style,[3] and holds the record for the fastest ODI century which he made in his first international innings, as well as scoring 32 runs in a single over, the second highest scoring over ever in an ODI.[4] He also holds the distinction of having hit the most number of sixes in the history of ODI cricket.[5]
 
Afridi considers himself a better bowler than batsman, and has taken 48 Test wickets and over 350 in ODIs. Currently Afridi is third on the list of leading wicket takers in the Twenty20 format, behind Saeed Ajmal and Umer Gul of Pakistan, taking 62 wickets from 56 matches.[6] Shahid Afridi has signed to play for Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash league.[7] In June 2009, Afridi took over the Twenty20 captaincy from Younus Khan, and was later appointed ODI captain for the 2010 Asia Cup. In his first match as ODI captain against Sri Lanka he scored a century however Pakistan still lost by 16 runs. He then also took over the Test captaincy but resigned after one match in charge citing lack of form and ability to play Test cricket; at the same time he announced his retirement from Tests. He retained the captaincy in limited-overs form of the game and led the team in the 2011 World Cup. In May 2011, having led Pakistan in 34 ODIs, Afridi was replaced as captain. Later that month he announced his conditional retirement from international cricket in protest against his treatment by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, in October he reversed his decision. UNICEF and Pakistani authorities have taken Shahid Afridi on board for its anti-polio campaign in the tribal belt of lawless Waziristan region

International career

In October 1996 at the age of sixteen Afridi was drafted into the ODI team during the four-nation Sameer Cup 1996–97 as a leg spinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed.[10] He made his debut on 2 October against Kenya, however he didn’t bat and went wicketless.[11] In the next match against Sri Lanka, Afridi batted at number three in the role of a pinch-hitter. In his first international innings, Afridi broke the record for fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching his hundred from 37 balls. The eleven sixes he struck also equalled the record for most in an ODI innings.[12][nb 1] Aged 16 years and 217 days, Afridi became the youngest player to score an ODI century.[14] Pakistan posted a total of 371, at the time the second-highest in ODIs, and won by 82 runs; Afridi was named man of the match.[12]
 
Two years after appearing on the international scene, Afridi made his Test debut in the third game of a three-match series against Australia on 22 October 1998.[15] By this point he had already played 66 ODIs, at the time a record before playing Tests.[16] He opened the batting, making scores of 10 and 6, and took five wickets in the first innings.[15] He played his second Test the following January during Pakistan’s tour of India; it was the first Test between the two countries since 1990.[17] Again opening the batting, Afridi scored his maiden Test century, scoring 141 runs from 191 balls. In the same match he also claimed three wickets for 54 runs.[18] After winning the first match by 12 runs, Pakistan lost the second to draw the series.[19]
 
In 2001, Afridi signed a contract to represent Leicestershire. In five first-class matches he scored 295 runs at an average of 42.14, including a highest score of 164,[20] and took 11 wickets at an average of 46.45;[21] Afridi also played 11 one day matches for the club, scoring 481 runs at an average of 40.08[22] and taking 18 wickets at 24.04.[23] His highest score of 95 came from 58 balls in a semi-final of the C&G Trophy to help Leicestershire beat Lancashire by seven wickets.[24] Derbyshire County Cricket Club signed Afridi to play for them in the first two months of the 2003 English cricket season.[25] In June 2004 Afridi signed with English county side Kent to play for them in three Twenty20 matches and one Totesport League match.[26]
 
Afridi made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan to win the game and register a series draw.[27] In April Afridi struck what at the time was the equal second-fastest century in ODIs; he reached 100 off 45 deliveries against India, sharing the record with West Indian Brian Lara.[28] Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting with the tours of India and West Indies and through to the England tour. The Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude..[8]
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Dec 3 2013

Mohammad Yousuf

Mohammad Yousuf   formerly Yousuf Youhana,  born 27 August 1974) is a Pakistani right-handed batsman. Prior to his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was one of only a few Christians to play for the Pakistan cricket team. Yousuf was effectively banned from playing international cricket for Pakistan, for an indefinite period by the Pakistan Cricket Board on 10 March 2010, following an inquiry into the team’s defeat during the tour of Australia.[1] An official statement was released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, saying that he would not be selected again on the grounds of inciting infighting within the team.[1]On 29 March 2010, Yousuf announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket,[2] a direct reaction to the indefinite ban handed out to him by PCB. However following Pakistan’s disastrous first Test against England in July/August 2010, PCB decided to ask Yousuf to come out of retirement

Early life

Yousuf was born in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan to a family who had converted from a Hindu low caste Balmiki to Christianity.[4] His father Youhana Maseeh worked at the railway station, the family lived in the nearby Railway Colony. As a boy, he couldn’t afford a bat and so swatted his brother’s taped tennis ball offerings with wooden planks of various dimensions on surfaces masquerading as roads. As a 12-year-old, he was spotted by the Golden Gymkhana, though even then only circumstances dictated his ambitions and never thought of playing cricket, to make a living. He joined Lahore’s Forman Christian College and continued playing until suddenly giving up in early 1994.[5] For a time he tried his luck driving rickshaws in Bahawalpur.[6]Yousuf, hailing from poor background, was plucked from the obscurity of a tailor‘s shop in the slums of the eastern city of Lahore to play a local match in the 1990s. His well-crafted shots attracted attention and he rose through the ranks to become one of Pakistan’s best batsman. He was set to work at a tailor’s when he was pulled back by a local club was short of players. They called him to make up numbers and made a hundred which led to a season in the Bradford Cricket League, with Bowling Old Lane, and a path back into the game.[5]

Conversion to Islam

Until his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was the fourth Christian (and fifth non-Muslim overall) to play for the Pakistan cricket team, following in the footsteps of Wallis Mathias, Antao D’Souza and the Anglo-Pakistani Duncan Sharpe.[7] He also has the distinction of being the first and so far only non-Muslim to captain the country, leading the team in the 2004–05 tour of Australia where he scored a century in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He converted to Islam after attending regular preaching sessions of the Tablighi Jamaat, Pakistan’s largest non-political religious grouping, whose preachers include Yousuf’s former team-mate Saeed Anwar and his brother.
 
His wife Tania converted along with him and adopted the Islamic name Fatima. However, the news was kept private for three years due to family reasons, before his announcement of their conversion publicly in September 2005.[8][9] “I don’t want to give Yousuf my name after what he has done”, his mother was quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper. “We came to know about his decision when he offered Friday prayers at a local mosque. It was a shock”, his mother was reported as saying. However, Yousuf told the BBC that “I cannot tell you what a great feeling it is.”[10] As part of his conversion, Yousuf officially changed his name from Yousuf Youhana to Mohammad Yousuf. Former Pakistan cricketer and sports commentator Rameez Raja, who himself is Muslim, acknowledged the significance of Yousuf’s new faith: “Religion has played an integral part in his growth not just as a cricketer but as a person.”[11]

Career

He made his Test debut against South Africa at Durban and One Day International debut against Zimbabwe at Harare. He has scored over 9,000 One Day International runs at an average above 40 (2nd highest batting average among Pakistani batsmen after Zaheer Abbas) and over 7,000 Test runs at an average above 50 (highest batting average amongst all Pakistani batsmen) with 24 Test centuries. He has the record of scoring the most runs without being dismissed in the One Day International match, with a total of 405 runs against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2002–2003. He has also scored a 23-ball fifty and a 68-ball hundred in One Day International. In Test match, he has scored a 27-ball fifty, which is 3rd fastest by any player. He was the top scorer during the successive years of 2002 and 2003 in the world in One Day International match. In 2004, he scored 111 runs against the Australians in the Boxing Day Test. In December 2005, he scored 223 runs against England at Lahore, also earning him the man of the match award. Seven months later in July 2006, when Pakistan toured England, he scored 202 runs and 48 in the first Test, again earning himself the man of the match award. He followed up with 192 in the third Test at Headingley and 128 in the final Test at The Oval.
 
Yousuf was named CNN-IBN‘s Cricketer of the Year for 2006, ahead of the likes of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, West Indies Brian Lara, Australian spinner Shane Warne, South Africa’s bowling spearhead Makhaya Ntini and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. He was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 2007 edition.[12] Yousuf became the fourth recipient of the ICC ‘Test Cricketer of the Year’ award for 2007, he scored 944 runs at an average of 94.40 including seven centuries and two fifties in just 10 innings and that was enough to be awarded the honour ahead of English batsman Kevin Pietersen and Australian batsman Ricky Ponting.[13]
 
A year that started on a promising note, Yousuf carried it forward to break two world records both held earlier by former West Indian batsman Viv Richards. The 32-year-old, Pakistani batsman achieved an unparalleled 1788 runs in just 10 Test matches with the help of twelve centuries which became his second world record. Yousuf is known for his ability to score runs at exceptional rate through his great technique and composed strokeplay. Although capable of hitting the ball hard, Yousuf is quick between the wickets, although he is prone to being run out.[7]Yousuf is a skilful infielder, with a report prepared by Cricinfo in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he had effected the seventh highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman.[14] He is also distinguished by his characteristic celebration after hitting one hundred runs for his country, where he prostrates in thankfulness to Allah in the direction of Mecca. He has observed this act (known as the Sajdah) since his conversion to Islam.[15]
 
In 2007, after initially signing a contract to join the Indian Cricket League, Yousuf later refused due to pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board as he would later face a ban by the board. In return the PCB promised to get him into the Indian premier league, however, no team bid for him as he faced litigation from the ICL.[16]In 2008, he once again threatened to join the ICL after the PCB dropped him from their squad. A PCB official was quoted as saying, “We have banned all our cricketers who joined the ICL and if Yousuf also plays for the unauthorised league then he will have to face the same punishment. Yousuf is still our best Test batsman and has a future with the Pakistan team, but not if he joins the ICL.”[17] Yousuf decided to join the ICL again to play mid-way though the second season.[18] The Pakistan Cricket Board reacted to the news by banning him from the national team.[19] Yousaf’s chances to return to Pakistani cricket improved on 2 February 2009 when a Pakistani court suspended the ban on ICL players.[20]
 
Pakistan Cricket Board recalled batsman Mohammad Yousuf to the squad for their July 2009 Test series in Sri Lanka. Yousuf ended his association with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) in early May, in the hope of earning a recall for his country. His decision to join the ICL was made because of differences with former captain Shoaib Malik, who has since been replaced by Younus Khan.[21] In July 2009, on his first match after returning to Test Cricket since 2007, Yousuf scored a century to announce his return to cricket. Yousuf informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that he would not be taking part in the Champions Trophy 2008 because it would coincide with the holy month of Ramadan.[22]
 
He along with another former Indian Cricket League player Abdul Razzaq were awarded ‘A’ category mid-term central contracts by Pakistan Cricket Board after they left Indian Cricket League.[23] A little over one year after being welcomed back by the PCB, Yousuf was made captain of the Test team for the tour of New Zealand after Younus Khan was allowed to take a break. The Pakistan Cricket Board, on 10 March 2010, banned Yousuf and former captain, Younis Khan from playing for the national team indefinitely and imposed one-year bans on Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.[1] Despite receiving the ban Yousuf said that the series against South Africa in late 2010 could be a possibility.[24] Pakistan then toured England in July 2010 and after losing the first test by 354 runs due to a weak batting line-up, the second innings total of 80 being the lowest total by Pakistan against England. Yousuf announced his return to International Cricket and was placed on the squad.[25] He then required a visa which was granted but there was a concern that Yousuf could not come to England in time for that tour. In January 2012 it was announced that Yousuf was holding talks with Leicestershire over becoming their overseas player for 2012. Talks broke down over Yousuf wanting to take time off for Ramadam.[26]

Retirement and subsequent return (2010)

On 29 March 2010, Yousuf announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket,[2] just days after the Pakistan Cricket Board imposed an indefinite ban on him. “I received a letter from the PCB that my staying in the team is harmful for the team, so I announce my retirement from international cricket”, he said at a press conference in Karachi.[2] On 27 March, Yousuf said that he had decided to retire from international cricket.[27] “Yes, I have decided to retire as Pakistan player and my decision is not an emotional one”, Yousuf told press agency AFP, “It’s of no use playing if my playing is harmful to the team”.[27] He was handed over an indefinite ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board for his disciplinary problems on Pakistan’s tour of Australia 2009–2010.
 
On 1 August 2010, after Pakistan lost the first Test match against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Yousuf was called back in the squad for the rest of the series.[3] He decided not to play the second Test because of tiredness.[28] Shortly after the completion of the second test, Pakistani captain Salman Butt announced that he expected Yousuf to return for the third test.[29] The selectors decided to play Yousuf in a tour match against Worcestershire just before the third Test so that his form and fitness could be checked.[30] Yousuf’s form check was positive, because on a day inflicted by rain he managed to score 40*.[31] Yousuf then scored 56 against England in the third Test before being caught and bowled by Graeme Swann; in the process Yousuf became Swann’s 100 casualty in Test cricket;the day saw a much improved performance by Pakistan as they were eventually bowled out for 308.[32]
 
In the same tour of England that summer, he participated in the Twenty20 series as well. Despite being considered an “old boys cricketer” and having participated in only a sole T20I in 2006 and considered one who does not slog as often (notable by the low number of sixes he has scored), Yousuf participated and scored 26 of 21 deliveries. His return continued well when he scored 46 in the second ODI against England. He consistently scored during the five-match England series as Pakistan lost 3–2. Yousuf was subsequently selected to play for Pakistan in all three formats against South Africa in October 2010;[33] he was considered as an option for becoming captain but the captaincy was given Misbah-ul-Haq Yousuf’s batting partner Younis Khan; however still was not selected.[34]
 
Mohammad Yousuf captained his domestic team, the Lahore Lions, to victory in the 2010–11 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup; the team defeated the Karachi Dolphins in the final. That was also the first time in five years that the trophy had gone to someone besides the Sialkot Stallions.[35] Despite his poor fielding skills, Yousuf was given the award of fielder of the series. He did however injure his hamstring in training for the series against South Africa in October 2010. Chief Selector Mohsin Khan elected to withdraw Yousuf from the ODI and T20I squads but said that he should be ready to play in the Test match series.[36] Yousuf’s replacement in the limited-overs squad was Younus Khan, who had successfully reconciled with the Pakistan Cricket Board. He managed to regain his fitness and participated in the two-match Test series against South Africa. Also, he managed to regain his fitness quickly enough to participate in the final ODI of the five-match series. Yousuf wore a shirt which had his name written on in ink, which was against regulations.
 
The match-referee called him and Yousuf stated that because he came for the test series he did not bring coloured clothing because he did not think that he would play. Subsequently the ICC cleared him of any wrongdoing.[37] Minutes before the toss in the first Test match, Yousuf picked up a groin injury. The injury took two weeks to heal and subsequently Yousuf missed the two-match Test series.[38] Amid his recent spate of injuries, former Pakistan captain Moin Khan suggested that Yousuf should retire from ODIs and T20s and focus on Tests only due to age and consistent injuries.[39].[3]
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