Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad Biography

Javed Miandad was Pakistan’s enfant terrible and a batting warrior for Pakistan cricket. He became famous after hitting the winning six on the last ball of the match in the April 1986 match at Sharjah against the Indian bowler Chetan Sharma [ who no doubt was trying to bowl a Yorker , instead let loose with the famous ball type exemplified by the joke "umpire to batsmen taking guard – yes what do you want – batsmen – a full toss on the leg side" ]. This led many a Pakistani calling up their Indian friends on the phone and saying, " This is Miandad speaking ". His other memorable, gritty performances, and there are many, are documented in this delightful book which is a must for every South Asian cricket lover for a rainy day, weekend/ bedtime as well as a serious cricketer’s reading.
Miandad will always be remembered in the annals of Pakistan as not just a street fighting cricketer but a world class batsman and one whose understanding and deep knowledge of the game has led him to become the coach for the present Pakistan team. His current task [not an easy one] is to lead the Pakistani batting line-up out of the woods.
"Cuttting Edge" is his biography written with the help of his friend Dr. Saad Shafqat .For a cricket lover this is a gem of a book, describing how time and again, the Pakistan cricket team has been blessed with raw unknown outsiders who have made their mark in International cricket. From the anecdote of Wasim Akram, who bowled to him in the nets at Karachi in 1984 [ and was so green that he asked Miandad how much money he should take when he got selected for England] , to Miandad’s early childhood days playing street cricket in Ranchore Lines in Karachi [ using the secret weapon of a tennis ball wrapped up in plastic insulating tape to give extra bounce / swing ] and making his first Test hundred [ 163 ] in his first Test appearance in Lahore’s Gaddafi stadium on October 9, 1976 against a pace attack of Hadlee [ which reduced Pakistan to 44 for 3] , this book is Miandad’s way of telling the story of his rise and rise from the humble streets of Karachi to the sophisticated cricket grounds of Lords in London.
Miandad writes endearingly of how his father [a cotton expert and grader at the Karachi Stock Exchange ] and his father’s best friend A.R.Mahmood [ who taught him to play straight bat in the V area between cover and mid-wicket in the early opening of an innings] became the influences of his boyhood cricket days as a batsman, although he would do everything – bowling off-breaks, and wicket keeping in school.
There are 23 Chapters , with a chapter on the "Sharjah" match with India , another one on "Wars with India" , his batting in the World Cup of 1992. There is one entitled " In search of 365 " [ how to get into the bowlers frame of mind and anticipate his next type of ball ] another entitled " Tit for Tat with the West Indies " [ 1987-88 when West Indies and Pakistan were at their peaks –with players such as Lloyd , Richards , Walsh , Ambrose, Marshall . In all these chapters what finally comes through is that Miandad fought for his mark as a world class batsman [ in the league of the top 10 - ]. There are places where Miandad gets stuck on a sticky issue , where he is at pains to show that there was no squabble between him and Imran Khan, but this is contradicted in another chapter called " Picking the gaps " where he rants and raves against the "Oxbridge complex ".
His apologies to Amarnath in the Jaipur match show his character. Many of his words make him come out as a God fearing humble human being. In fact what comes out of this book and this is what Miandad also says is that character is what makes a batsman. Miandad’s praise for other cricketers – especially Gavaskar, his sense of humor and his famous remark to an opposition bowler to provide him with his hotel room number for he wanted to dispatch the ball straight there. Miandad’s opinion on the best batsmen, bowlers are interesting insights into the extreme competition within the sport [ only 8 countries play this game - 4 from south Asia]. These are wonderful joyous words that make one feel the game of cricket is indeed a great game – slightly colonial in its five-day test series - and that South Asians know that and have produced masters such as Miandad.

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad's Famous SIXER @ Sharjah

Javed Miandad 271 vs NZ 3rd test 1988/89

Azhar Mehmood

Azhar Mehmood Biography
Azhar Mahmood had a successful first season at Canterbury after joining Kent from Surrey.
He famously struck three centuries in his first eight Tests, but despite some streetwise performances for Pakistan, Mahmood fell out of favour by 2001.
Mahmood first played for Surrey for a one-month spell in 2002 and returned as a full-time overseas player for the following three seasons.
His explosive hitting has produced runs when Surrey have needed them and he has often been responsible for helping them to get out of precarious positions.
His line-and-length seam bowling has been particularly useful in English conditions and, combined with his variations in speed, has enabled him to break partnerships when batsmen look well set.
The all-rounder is also a good fielder and a bubbly presence in the dressing room.
He bowled the final over of the match as Surrey snatched a one-run victory over Lancashire in the 2004 Twenty20 Cup semi-finals.
Injury restricted his appearances for Surrey in 2005, as he played in only half of their first class games.
However, he was able to score 204 not out towards the end of the season as the club battled to stave off relegation into Division Two of the Frizzell County Championship.
He also took 26 first class wickets in the season, proving his worth to Surrey as an all-rounder.
His 2006 season saw him make 600 championship runs and take 31 wickets, but it was in the C&G Trophy that he really made his mark topping the bowling averages and averaging 52.5 with the bat.
His performances for Surrey earned him an international recall for Pakistan but he failed to impress and did not get a chance in his team's dismal 2007 World Cup campaign.
He was released by Surrey midway through the 2007 season as they decided to change their personnel and brought in an overseas spinner in Harbhajan Singh in his place.
He signed for Kent in the 2007 winter and played as a British citizen after applying for a UK passport on residency.
Finger and back injuries limited Mahmood to just six first-class outings, but made a thrilling start with 116 against Nottinghamshire in the opening LV County Championship match.
He underlined his enduring class with 5-30 against Sussex at Hove and 6-55 against Yorkshire at Canterbury.
He was more utilised in the limited overs formats, with 35 cheap wickets, though he was less effective in the Spitfires’ two final losses in the Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup.

Azhar Mahmood

Azhar Mahmood

Azhar Mahmood

Azhar Mahmood

Azhar Mahmood

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Azhar Mahmood

Azhar Mahmood 5/33 Vs India FINAL 1999

Azhar Mahmood Devastating Innings vs Leicester Part 1

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali Biography
An opening batsman by trade, Azhar has worked his way steadily up Pakistan's domestic scene since 2006. That was the season he began opening regularly for Khan Research Laboratories, a move that fetched him two hundreds and two fifties in five matches, and he hasn't looked back. In four seasons since, he's been averaging 40-plus with 11 hundreds, commendable figures in a country where opening is a modern-day curse.

All of his runs have been made with a compact technique, designed to get behind the line of each ball. Observers say he gets into a tangle against the shorter ball often but his patience is key. On an A tour to Australia in 2009, he twice made five-hour 70s against an attack that included Doug Bollinger, Clint McKay and Jason Krejza. That series propelled him into senior team focus and a solid, if not spectacular 2009-10 season, coupled with a move to look beyond Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, brought about a richly-deserved Test debut - in the middle order - at Lord's against Australia.

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali

AZHAR ALI MAGNIFICENT 96 VS SRILANKA !!

HD Azhar Ali 157 Vs England (3rd Test: Eng vs Pak at Dubai Feb 3-6,2012)

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan Biography
At U-19 level Junaid Khan was among of a crop of the most promising young fast bowlers in recent years, alongside Mohammad Amir. Good pace and better stamina and an ability to move the ball around if the conditions are right, Khan finally made it to national contention when he was called up for Pakistan's 2011 World Cup squad as a late replacement for Sohail Tanvir.
 Khan is from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and has built up an impressive domestic career with Abbottabad, for whom he debuted in January 2007. The record acquires greater sheen given that Abbottabad are among the weaker sides on the circuit. Those performances have led him to Pakistan A selection, for whom he has been impressive in two series now, never less than when taking nine wickets in a 'Test' against Sri Lanka A in Hambantota in September 2010.

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan Match Winning Spell vs Northampshire

Junaid Khan! New Rising Star of Pakistan!

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez Biography
Mohammad Hafeez is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a bowler offbreak right arm. Hafeez generally opens the batting and is also the limit skillful gardener. Hafeez was one of several young all terrain the Pakistani cricket team turned to the screen after the World Cup Cricket poor in 2003, which were eliminated in the first round. Hafeez scored a half century in his debut Test against Bangladesh, and in his next test reached a century. His form with the bat and the ball then be considerably reduced and, in late 2003 was withdrawn from the test equipment, and soon after the ODI side. With strong organic growth and good projections for Pakistan, remained outside of the withdrawal in 2004. Hafeez returned to the ODI side in 2005 and despite not contributing with the bat, his bowling performances were impressive. In 2006 Top End Series held in Australia, Hafeez smashed a century for Pakistan A. With Pakistan struggling to find a pair of solid opening for Test cricket, Hafiz was called for the tour of England. His return to Test cricket was made in the oval and scored a fluent 95. Later that year, in November, Hafeez retained his place in that part of their home series against West Indies. After obtaining outputs in the first two tests are going to score his second Test century in the third Test in Karachi.
Mohammad Hafeez name Born October 17, 1980, Sargodha, Punjab Current age 30 years 94 days Batting style Right hand bat Bowling style Right-arm Mohammad Hafeez offbreak Snapshot Highest teams Pakistan, Faisalabad, of Faisalabad Wolves, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sargodha, Sui Gas Corporation ...
Major teams Pakistan, Faisalabad, Faisalabad Wolves, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sargodha, Sui Gas Corporation of Pakistan.
Mohammad Hafeez Profile
An opening batsman and a bowler offspin hand, Hafiz was one of the young players that Pakistan selectors turned to the screen after the team's abysmal World Cup in 2003. His performances in Sharjah and in the NatWest Challenge in England indicated that Hafeez could well be a long term perspective - that showed good technique and temperament at the top of the order and neatly rolled his offspinners, but most impressive was his performance in the field. Patrolling the point and covers the region with feverish alertness, which saved a lot of runs and took a load of amazing catches. His organized approach towards batting ensured that took a chance in the Test team in the series of three tests against Bangladesh. He did not do badly either, marking half a century on debut, then caressing his first hundred in his second test. However, his form then dipped alarmingly in the ODIs against South Africa, leading to their exclusion from the test equipment. Shortly after he was expelled from the ODI team too. He has stayed out of the national team but with a series of impressive national actions, along with useful hands for Pakistan, a squad.
He was called back to the ODI side in 2005, but achieved no significant results. A spanking century for Pakistan A against Australia A in the Top End Series in Australia during the summer of 2006, allied with the exacerbtion problems opening trip to Pakistan in England, meant that Hafeez returned to the Oval test annd in Amidst all the waste, calm and found a significant effect 95 was almost forgotten. He has been adequate rather than spectacular, although due to the problems of Pakistan have with openers, Hafiz is likely to remain involved for some time even with a normal range.
An opening batsman and a bowler offspin hand, Hafiz was one of the young players that Pakistan selectors turned to the screen after the team's abysmal World Cup in 2003. His performances in Sharjah and in the NatWest Challenge in England indicated that Hafeez could well be a long term perspective - that showed good technique and temperament at the top of the order and neatly rolled his offspinners, but most impressive was his performance in the field. Patrolling the point and covers the region with feverish alertness, which saved a lot of runs and took a load of amazing catches. His organized approach towards batting ensured that took a chance in the Test team in the series of three tests against Bangladesh. He did not do badly either, marking half a century on debut, then caressing his first hundred in his second test.
However, his form then dipped alarmingly in the ODIs against South Africa, leading to their exclusion from the test equipment. Shortly after he was expelled from the ODI team too. He has stayed out of the national team but with a series of impressive national actions, along with useful hands for Pakistan, a squad. He was called back to the ODI side in 2005, but achieved no significant results. A spanking century for Pakistan A against Australia A in the Top End Series in Australia during the summer of 2006, allied with the exacerbtion problems opening trip to Pakistan in England, meant that Hafeez returned to the Oval test annd in Amidst all the waste, calm and found a significant effect 95 was almost forgotten. He has been adequate rather than spectacular, although due to the problems of Pakistan have with openers, Hafiz is likely to remain involved for some time even with a normal range.
Mohammad Hafeez Batting, Fielding and Bowling

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez 88 Runs Vs England 1st Test 2012

Mohammad Hafeez's 2 breathtaking sixes against NZ [HD]

Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq Biography
An orthodox batsman with reasonable technique, Misbah-ul-Haq caught the eye with his unflappable temperament in the tri-nation one-day tournament in Nairobi in 2002, scoring two fifties in three innings, including one in the final against Australia. But before Pakistan could hail him as a possible middle-order mainstay, Misbah's form slumped - he didn't manage a single 20-plus score in three Tests against Australia and was duly dumped. Pakistan's abysmal World Cup campaign - and the wholesale changes to the team in its aftermath - gave Misbah another chance to redeem himself, but he did little of note in the limited opportunities he got.
 Even though Misbah had not represented Pakistan for about three years, a run-filled domestic season, followed by club cricket in England, and Inzamam's retirement from ODIs prompted the board to award Misbah a central contract in July 2007. A month later, he was surprisingly picked, ahead of Mohammad Yousuf, for the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa. He repaid the selectors' faith by finishing the tournament as Pakistan's best player and nearly taking them to victory in the final. He was duly named in the team for the Test and ODI series that followed against South Africa.
After an unremarkable series against South Africa, Misbah was by far Pakistan's best batsman through the Tests against India, amassing 464 runs in three matches, including two centuries. He was ice-cool in crisis, rescuing Pakistan on several occasions with spirited rearguard efforts. His remarkable rise continued as a mere six months after being picked for the ICC World Twenty20, he was made vice-captain and handed a top-category contract in January 2008. His form deserted him again in 2009, and he dropped from all three squads for the series against New Zealand - but made yet another return to the side in October 2010, this time as captain for the Tests against South Africa .

Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq

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Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakistan v England 3rd T20 (Misbah Ul Haq)

Misbah-ul-Haq Hit '4 Sixes' to Monty Panesar [Pakistan vs England 2nd Test Day 1] Jan 25th 2011

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi Biography

Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi (born 1 March 1980 in Khyber Agency), popularly known as Shahid Afridi, is a Pakistani cricketer currently playing for the Pakistani national team in the international circuit. He made his ODI debut on 2 October 1996 against Kenya in Nairobi[1] and his Test debut on 22 October 1998 against Australia at Karachi.[2] He is known for his aggressive batting style, and currently holds the highest career strike rate in the history of international cricket. In a recent survey, Afridi was named as the most popular cricketer in Pakistan.[3] He also holds the record for the fastest one day century which he made in his debut innings, as well as scoring 32 runs in a single over, the second highest scoring over ever in an ODI.

Style

His general style of batting is very aggressive and attack oriented and has earned him the nickname “Boom Boom Afridi” for his fastest One Day International century just in 37 balls. As of 22 May 2007, he has an ODI strike rate of 109.38 runs per 100 balls, the highest in the game’s history. This attitude has been transferred to Test cricket as well, with Afridi scoring at a relatively high strike rate of 86.13 in Tests. He has an approach to batting that can change the tempo of a game and inspire the mood of an audience, as shown when a mass exodus of spectators occurred in Pakistan in late 2005 following his dismissal from the crease. He hits many sixes long and high, favoring straight down the ground or over midwicket. A trademark shot is a crossbatted flick to the leg-side to a ball outside off stump.[8]. This explosive style has led to some memorable shots, most notably the first ever 12 in power cricket in 2002, where Afridi successfully hit the roof. [9] However, his aggressive style increases his risk of getting out and he is one of the most inconsistent batsmen in cricket. This is reflected by the fact that he is the only player to score more than 5000 ODI runs at an average under 25.

Bowling-wise, his stock ball is the leg break, but his armory also includes the conventional off break and a ‘quicker one’ which he can deliver at nearly 80 mph in the style of a medium-pacer. He bowls at a high speed for a spinner, resulting in lesser turn, and relying more on variations in speed. He occasionally sends down a bouncer to a batsmen, which is very rare for a spin bowler.

International career

In October 1996 at the age of sixteen he was brought into the ODI team as a legspinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed. He then gained notability as a pinch-hitter and began opening with Saeed Anwar. He holds the record for scoring the fastest century in one-day internationals (off 37 balls)[12], scored in only his second match and his first ODI innings. He also shares with Brian Lara the record for the third-fastest century in ODIs (off 45 balls). One of Pakistan’s most useful all-rounders, he has an extremely aggressive batting style, which has garnered him over 5,000 ODI runs (including an erstwhile world-record 249 sixes, recently broken by Sanath Jayasuriya), as well as taking over 250 wickets at ODI and 47 at Test level.

For various reasons, including a perception that he lacks patience in his batting, Afridi had limited opportunity in Test matches, although he currently averages in the high thirties and mid-thirties with bat and ball respectively. As it is, Afridi has featured in less than one third of the Test Matches played by Pakistan over the course of his career.[13] However, he 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.

It is perceived that his batting struggles on bouncy pitches and against opponents like Australia, although his record against the Australians has improved over time. Although he has had success as an opener on sub-continent pitches, Afridi is often moved into the lower order as well.

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.

In the 2007 World Twenty20, he performed poorly with the bat but brilliantly with the ball, earning the Man of the Series award, though he failed to take a wicket in the final and was out for a golden duck.

Career Highlights

* On 4 October 1996, playing his maiden international innings, Afridi hit the fastest One-Day century off 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. His innings included 28 runs off one of Sanath Jayasuriya’s overs, whose record he broke. [15]

* Youngest player in history to make an ODI century at just 16 years and 217 days with his 37 ball ton against Sri Lanka. It included 11 sixes and 6 fours. [16]

* Made a half-century from 26 balls and took 3 second-innings wickets in Pakistan’s series-drawing Test victory against India in March 2005.[14]

* Holds the joint record with Brian Lara for the third fastest ODI century off 45 balls in April 2005 against India. [17] This actually was the first match that witnessed the Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri make him the nickname Boom Boom Afridi.

* Equal highest aggregate sixes scored in the 50-over game, shared the legendary Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, and he the most sixes per innings record.

* Scored four consecutive sixes off a Harbhajan Singh over in a Test match against India in January 2006, matching a feat that Kapil Dev achieved in 1990.

* Was the first player to score 12 runs off one ball, by hitting the roof of the Millennium Stadium. This took place in a game of Power Cricket.[citation needed][clarification needed]

* Holds four of the top eight fastest ODI half centuries, twice completed in 18 balls and twice in 20 balls. He has also scored a half century off just 21 balls.

* Made 32 runs off a Malinga Bandara over in an ODI game at Abu Dhabi in 2007. He struck four consecutive sixes and it was the 2nd most expensive over in ODI history.

* Afridi is only third player in ODI history to achieve the combination of 5000 runs and 200 wickets. The other players being Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya and South African Jacques Kallis.

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

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Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

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Shahid Afridi Great Best 30 Sixes in ODI

Shahid Afridi Makes 32 Runs From 1 Over Vs Sri Lanka