Wednesday 9 May 2012

Shoaib Malik

Shoaib Malik Biography
Full name Shoaib Malik

Born February 1, 1982, Sialkot, Punjab

Major teams Pakistan, Asia XI, Delhi Daredevils, Gloucestershire, Gujranwala Cricket Association, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Reserves, Sialkot Cricket Association, Sialkot Stallions

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Relation Brother - Adeel Malik

There is almost no role in a cricket side that Shoaib Malik hasn't filled, so much so that over ten years into his career, nobody is sure what his precise and best role is.In essence, he is a batting allrounder, though he started his career as an off-break bowler. Partly the problem is that he is capable, as a batsman, of fulfilling many roles with some competence. He has had success as an opener in Tests and ODIs; he has been game-changing as a limited-overs one down and dangerous as a lower-order slogger; often he has been a stodgy middle-order bulwark. In Twenty20s, he can be brutal anywhere.

It is thus difficult to recall a definitive Malik high; was it his maiden Test hundred as an opener against Sri Lanka in Colombo? A few hands that led to an ODI series win against India in 2005-06? A Champions Trophy hundred against India?His basic game is tight, especially in the subcontinent. He isn't pretty, though there can be pleasantness in his high, stiff-elbowed drives and lofts. Square on both sides he is precise. Further, he runs well. With his flattish, very modern off-spin always useful for more than a few overs and a wicket here and there - less so after concerns over his action - and an athletic and languid presence in the field, Malik should be far greater a sum of his parts than he actually is.

He was for long earmarked as a potential captain - the late Bob Woolmer thought him the sharpest tack in Pakistan's set-up - but a stint with the captaincy was troubled, unimaginative and ended badly. It got even worse when the board banned him for a year in March 2010 as part of its unprecedented action on senior players after a disastrous tour of Australia.
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Shoaib Malik 125 Vs India 2008 Asia Cup
Shoaib Malik Cameo Inn 39 Of 33 Balls Vs England 1st T20 Dubai 23 Feb 2012

Mohammad Yousuf

Mohammad Yousuf Biography
Mohammad Yousuf (formerly Yousuf Youhana, born 27 August 1974, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani cricketer who has been a member of the Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. He is best known for his achievement in 2006 when he broke the great West Indian batsman, Sir Vivian Richards', world record for the most Test runs in a single calendar year. Prior to his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was one of the few Christians to play in the Pakistan national cricket team. He made his Test debut against South Africa at Durban and ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare. He has scored over 9,000 ODI runs at an average of 43.63 (2rd highest batting average among Pakistani batsmen after Zaheer Abbas and 6,770 Test runs at an average of 55.49 (highest batting average amongst all Pakistani batsmen) with 23 Test centuries. He has the record of scoring the most runs without being dismissed in ODIs, 405 against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2002-03. He has also scored a 23-ball fifty in ODIs, and a 68-ball hundred. In Tests he has scored a 27-ball fifty, which is 3rd fastest by any player. He was top scorer during the successive years of 2002 and 2003 in the world in ODIs. In 2004, he scored a memorable 111 against the Australians in the Boxing Day Test. In December 2005, he scored 223 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 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. 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 five centuries and two fifties in just 10 innings and that was enough to be awarded the honour ahead of Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting. Yousuf was also named in the 2007 Test team of the Year alongside compatriot Mohammad Asif. A year that started on a promising note, Yousuf carried it forward to break two world records both held earlier by West Indian great Sir Vivian Richards. The 32-year-old smashed an unparalleled 1788 runs in just 11 Test matches with the help of nine centuries � his second record � taking him beyond the Windies great yet again. 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. Yousuf is a skillful infielder, with a report prepared in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he had effected the ninth highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman. 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) recently since his conversion to Islam.
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Mohammad Yousuf 192 - England V Pakistan 3rd Test At Leeds 2006
Legend Mohammad Yousuf's Test Cricket Career - A Brief Highlight !

Monday 7 May 2012

Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar Biography
Magnificent timing and position were Saeed Anwar’s hallmarks. He was an opener competent of exhilarating starts in all cricket all the way through elegant strokeplay more willingly than creature strength. He loved driving all the way through the off side with negligible footwork. He obliterated any bowler contribution girth exterior off stump even though he also on a regular basis guide the ball without delay hooked on the hands of fourth slither or ravine. He first came to significance as a one-day player but soon accomplished alike achievement in Test cricket. Anwar’s fielding was feeble, he was wound lying face down, and his footwork became a lesser amount of confident as his profession illustrated to a close.

Decide on to take a break from the game later than the death of his daughter in August 2001, he was a slighter strength at what time he came back, although he still dealt with a hundred in opposition to India in the 2003 World Cup. His batting competence on the diminish, Anwar to end with broadcasted his retirement just before Pakistan’s home series in opposition to Bangladesh. He detained the record for the uppermost ODI score till Sachin Tendulkar upstaged him, and on his day he was one of the the majority elegantly persuasive players on the international stage.
Saeed Anwar
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Saeed Anwar's 194 vs India
Saeed Anwar 119 vs Australia 1999 GABBA

Inzamam-Ul-Haq

Inzamam-Ul-Haq Biography
Inzamam-ul-Haq (born 3 March 1970) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is considered to be one of Pakistan’s best batsmen.He is currently the captain of the Pakistani team.Test Debut: Pakistan v England at Birmingham, 1st Test, 1992. His career highlights are:

Scoring 60 in 37 balls against New Zealand in the semifinal of the 1992 World Cup to win the match that was nearly lost.
Scoring 329 against New Zealand in Lahore during a Test in the 2001-02 season (the twelfth highest score by a batsman)
Scoring 138* to deny Bangladesh victory at Multan.
Becoming the second batsman to score 10,000 runs in one-day inernationals (behind Sachin Tendulkar)
Scoring 184 in his 100th Test, against India at Bangalore in 2005.

Inzamam ul-Haq is well-known for his poor running between the wickets (as of May 2005, he has been run out a record 38 times in one-day internationals) and his ability to play shots around the ground. He has been described as looking “like a passenger in the field”.
also known as Inzamam or Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the leading cricketers in modern times.
On October 5, 2007, Inzamam retired from International cricket following the second Test match against South Africa, falling three runs short of Javed Miandad as Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. Following his retirement, he joined the Indian Cricket League, captaining the Hyderabad Heroes in the inaugral edition of the Twenty20 competition. In the ICL's second Twenty20 competition he captained the Lahore Badshahs, a team composed 
Nickname     Inzy
Height     6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Batting style     Right-hand
Bowling style     Slow left-arm orthodox
Role     Batsman
International information
National side     Pakistan
Test debut (cap 124)     4 June 1992 v England
Last Test     8 October 2007 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 158)     22 November 1991 v West Indies
Last ODI     21 March 2007 v Zimbabwe
ODI shirt no.     8
Domestic team information
Years     Team
2008     Lahore Badshahs (ICL)
2007     Hyderabad Heroes (ICL)
2007     Yorkshire
2006–2007     Water and Power Development Authority
2001–2002     National Bank of Pakistan
1998–1999     Rawalpindi
1996–2001     Faisalabad
1988–1997     United Bank Limited
1985–2004     Multan
Career statistics
Competition     Test     ODI     FC     LA
Matches     120     378     245     458
Runs scored     8,830     11,739     16,785     13,746
Batting average     49.60     39.52     50.10     38.07
100s/50s     25/46     10/83     45/87     12/97
Top score     329     137*     329     157*
Balls bowled     9     58     2,704     896
Wickets     0     3     39     30
Bowling average     –     21.33     33.20     24.66
5 wickets in innings     0     0     2     0
10 wickets in match     0     n/a     0     n/a
Best bowling     0/8     1/0     5/80     3/18
Catches/stumpings     81/–     113/–     172/–     128/–

Inzamam-ul-Haq (born 3 March 1970) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is considered to be one of Pakistan’s best batsmen.He is currently the captain of the Pakistani team.Test Debut: Pakistan v England at Birmingham, 1st Test, 1992. His career highlights are:

Scoring 60 in 37 balls against New Zealand in the semifinal of the 1992 World Cup to win the match that was nearly lost.
Scoring 329 against New Zealand in Lahore during a Test in the 2001-02 season (the twelfth highest score by a batsman)
Scoring 138* to deny Bangladesh victory at Multan.
Becoming the second batsman to score 10,000 runs in one-day inernationals (behind Sachin Tendulkar)
Scoring 184 in his 100th Test, against India at Bangalore in 2005.

Inzamam ul-Haq is well-known for his poor running between the wickets (as of May 2005, he has been run out a record 38 times in one-day internationals) and his ability to play shots around the ground. He has been described as looking “like a passenger in the field”.

He averages just over 50 runs per innings in tests and nearly 40 runs in one-day internationals with a strike rate of 53.65 and 74.20 respectively (figures current as of May 2004). He is called the best batsmen in the world against pace by Imran Khan. Inzamam is a giant that has a very soft touch for a man of his bulk. He usually bats at number three with his sidekick Yousuf Youhana.

He plays shots all round the wicket, is especially strong off his legs, and unleashes ferocious pulls and lofted drives.
He averages just over 50 runs per innings in tests and nearly 40 runs in one-day internationals with a strike rate of 53.65 and 74.20 respectively (figures current as of May 2004). He is called the best batsmen in the world against pace by Imran Khan. Inzamam is a giant that has a very soft touch for a man of his bulk. He usually bats at number three with his sidekick Yousuf Youhana.

He plays shots all round the wicket, is especially strong off his legs, and unleashes ferocious pulls and lofted drives.
Inzamam-ul-Haq is a symbiosis of strength and subtlety. Power is no surprise, but sublime touch is remarkable for a man of his bulk. He loathes exercise and often looks a passenger in the field, but with a willow between his palms he is suddenly galvanised. He plays shots all round the wicket, is especially strong off his legs, and unleashes ferocious pulls and lofted drives. Imran Khan rates him the best batsman in the world against pace. Early on he is vulnerable playing across his front pad or groping outside off stump. He uses his feet well to the spinners, although this aggression can be his undoing. Inzi keeps a cool head in a crisis and has succeeded Javed Miandad as Pakistan's premier batsman, but his hapless running between wickets is legendary and most dangerous for his partners. There were no such problems against New Zealand at a boiling Lahore in 2001-02, when Inzamam belted 329, the second-highest Test score by a Pakistani and the tenth-highest by anyone. However, he was then dogged by poor form, scoring just 16 runs in Pakistan's ill-fated World Cup campaign in 2003. He was dropped from the team briefly, but then roared back to form, scoring a magnificent unbeaten 138 and guiding Pakistan to a thrilling one-wicket win against Bangladesh at Multan. He was rewarded with the captaincy of the team, and despite leading them to victory in the Test series in New Zealand, question-marks about his leadership qualities surfaced when Pakistan were beaten in both the Test series and the one-dayers against India. But the selectors persevered with him and this bore results when he took a team thin on bowling resources to India and drew the Test series with a rousing performance in the final Test, Inzamam's 100th. After scoring a magnificent 184, Inzamam led the team astutely on a tense final day and took Pakistan to victory. Since that day, Inzamam has gone from strength to strength as captain and premier batsman. By scoring a hundred against West Indies in June 2005, he kept up a remarkable record of matchwinning centuries, amongt the best of modern-day batsmen. A magnificent year ended with Inzamam leading his team to triumph over Ashes-winning England; personally the series was arguably his best ever. He never failed to make a fifty, scored twin centuries at Faisalabad for the first time, going past Miandad as Pakistan's leading century-maker and joining him as only the second Pakistani with 8000 Test runs. As captain, he never looked more a leader, uniting a young, inexperienced team and turning them, once again, into a force to matter globally. The turn of the year brought contemplation; he missed the Test victory over India at Karachi with a persistent back injury. The subsequent ODI thrashing also raised concerns about Inzamam as ODI captain, none of which were entirely wiped away during ODI and Test wins in Sri Lanka. Pakistan were then beaten comprehensively in the Test series in England though all was forgotten - including Inzamam's own poor form - by events at The Oval. There, Inzamam, astonishingly for a man perceived as so insouciant, became the most controversial figure in cricket for a week, leading his side off the field in protest at charges of ball tampering made by umpires Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair. They refused to come out at first, then delayed the start before eventually forfeiting the Test, the first time in the history of the game. In Pakistan, he became a national hero, saviour of a country's pride and honour. Though nobody is saying it just yet, the World Cup 2007 is likely to be his last act.
In the old city of Multan, near the Ghanta Ghar, a winding lane leads to Mohalla Toia Alam Shah. It was in the courtyard of a house in this Mohalla, that young Inzamam-ul-Haq learnt to hold a bat. A door at the back of the courtyard leads to a place where Inzamam played cricket with his neighbors. Inzamam had a nice childhood. He was youngest of the 5 brothers and one sister. His elder brothers took care of all his needs. Inzamam did his schoolings in the Muslim School in Multan. Across that school was a small ground where Inzamam joined a cricket coaching camp and started an interest in cricket. The same cricket ground is now a Pakistan Cricket Board Coaching centre.

And about Inzamam, "He has always been a calm and reserved person. He was different from the others. He belonged to a religious family; he never watched movies or listened into music. He eats and sleeps a lot though," says Hussain, who first captained Inzamam in the under-19s and then later for Multan

Inzi, as he is mostly known in his team and by his supporters, is Pakistan's main middle order batsmen, if he clicks then on most occasions Pakistan either wins or leads the charge, like most leading batsmen in the world, the team tries to bat around him. His appearances may be deceiving. With his slow walk and bulky appearance he may be considered as a dormant player. But Inzamam has the ability to launch brutal attacks at times. He displays a perfect blend of power and timing. Power is no amazing thing for a man of his size, but his timing of the ball is fascinating. He can play shots all around the wicket and is very strong especially on his leg side. Inzamam is the captain and a key player of the Pakistan team. Imran Khan was the one who identified the potential of this man. Once he saw Inzamam play fluently against the pace attack of Wasim and Waqar in the nets. Imran was so impressed by his batting that, he decided to make Inzamam play in all the matches of the 1992 World Cup, no matter how he performs.

Inzamam plays fast bowling extremely well. Though there is no much flaw in his techniques, he has a tendency to throw away his wicket by the silliest mistakes. A very poor runner between the wickets, he makes himself and his partner uncomfortable with his running. Inzamam also has the tendency to move his foot across when playing fast bowlers, which at times makes him judged out for leg before wicket. But against the spinners he uses his feet well.

Inzamam is very cool and composed and has succeeded Javed Miandad as a premier batsman for Pakistan. With a huge responsibility of building a strong team, he seems to perform well as a captain.

Inzamam-ul-Haq is a symbiosis of strength and subtlety. Power is no surprise, but sublime touch is remarkable for a man of his bulk. He loathes exercise and often looks a passenger in the field, but with a willow between his palms he is suddenly galvanized. He plays shots all round the wicket, is especially strong off his legs, and unleashes ferocious pulls and lofted drives. Imran Khan rates him the best batsman in the world against pace. Early on he is vulnerable playing across his front pad or groping outside off stump. He uses his feet well to the spinners, although this aggression can be his undoing. Inzi keeps a cool head in a crisis and has succeeded Javed Miandad as Pakistan's premier batsman, but his hapless running between wickets is legendary and most dangerous for his partners. There were no such problems against New Zealand at a boiling Lahore in 2001-02, when Inzamam belted 329, the second-highest Test score by a Pakistani and the tenth-highest by anyone. However, he was then dogged by poor form, scoring just 16 runs in Pakistan's ill-fated World Cup campaign in 2003. He was dropped from the team briefly, but then roared back to form, scoring a magnificent unbeaten 138 and guiding Pakistan to a thrilling one-wicket win against Bangladesh at Multan. He was rewarded with the captaincy of the team, and despite leading them to victory in the Test series in New Zealand, question-marks about his leadership qualities surfaced when Pakistan were beaten in both the Test series and the one-dayers against India. But the selectors persevered with him and this bore results when he took a team thin on bowling resources to India and drew the Test series with a rousing performance in the final Test, Inzamam's 100th. After scoring a magnificent 184, Inzamam lead the team astutely on a tense final day and took Pakistan to victory.

 Though not having the reputation of being the world's best runner, Inzamam has firmly cemented his position in the Pakistan side due to his consistency, versatility and powerful batting. He has effectively proven his worth in both styles of the game and has earned himself the top position in the Coopers and Lybrand's rankings. He has shown himself to be an adaptable player switching from heavy powerful hitting in the one day game to playing sensible and solid innings in Tests. This young man, hailing from Multan, an ancient cultural town in the lower Punjab, has the style, the technique and, most importantly, the calm and collected manner, which are the makings of an all time great.

His batting is consistent, versatile and powerful. He is adaptable, switching from powerful hitting in ODI's to playing sensible and solid innings in Tests. This young man hailing from Multan, an ancient cultural town in the lower Punjab, has the style, the technique and most importantly, the calm and collected manner which are the makings of an all time Great. An explosive batsman, capable of fast scoring or digging in as necessary. Once he is set, becomes very hard to dismiss.

 Though not having the reputation of being the world's best runner, Inzamam has firmly cemented his position in the Pakistan side due to his consistency, versatility and powerful batting. He has effectively proven his worth in both styles of the game and has earned himself the top position in the Coopers and Lybrand's rankings. He has shown himself to be an adaptable player switching from heavy powerful hitting in the one day game to playing sensible and solid innings in Tests. This young man, hailing from Multan, an ancient cultural town in the lower Punjab, has the style, the technique and, most importantly, the calm and collected manner, which are the makings of an all time great.

A well experienced and an explosive batsman, capable of fast scoring or keeping his wicket when his team needs him the most. One of his great achievements includes, his highest score of 329, the second-highest Test score by a Pakistani and the tenth-highest by anyone. One of Pakistan's leading match winners in difficult circumstances. Inzamam has led his team out of difficult situations numerous times. Once he is set, becomes very hard to dismiss.
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Inzamam Ul Haq - 1992 Semi Final
Inzamam-Ul-Haq 100 vs INDIA 2004 Karachi

Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad Biography
Like all Javed Miandad fans, I had waited patiently to read the story of his life. I assumed it would appear soon after he retired. Yet years passed and nothing emerged.

Pakistan's cricket stars are not known for their written output, but there was a feeling that perhaps Miandad would be different. He had never been at a loss for words at the crease, and rumour had it that he was much the same in private.

Early in 1999, three years after he played his last international match, Miandad was back in the spotlight as Pakistan's coach on a landmark tour to India. Around this time, I was preparing to relocate to Pakistan, after having lived for a decade in the United States. Tired of waiting for Miandad's book to come out, I wondered if I might be able to do the job myself. Although I was a doctor and not a writer, I enjoyed writing, and loved cricket. How hard could it be?

Soon after settling back in Karachi, I began looking for a way to contact him. Thanks to a resourceful friend, a telephone number was obtained. One afternoon, after spending several minutes building up courage, I dialled it nervously. Before long, Miandad's unmistakable high-pitched brogue came on the line.

"Is this Javed Miandad?" I asked tentatively. "The Javed Miandad?"

"Who the hell are you?" was the reply.

My mouth, dry to begin with, suddenly felt parched. I tried to refer to some notes I had made, to stay focused, but Miandad was sharp and short and the conversation did not go well. He asked which publication I worked for, and I said I didn't. He asked about what I had written before; I had to say, "Not much." He was quick and dismissive. "Don't bother me," were his last words.

I was shattered. I had just spoken to my boyhood idol and he had treated me with indifference. I tried to see the situation from his viewpoint, realising that a call from someone like me would have felt a nuisance. But that was little consolation.

My wife analysed the matter dispassionately. "You need a better angle," was her bottom line. Her suggestion was to write an essay on Miandad and use it to lure his interest. "And don't call him again," she advised. "Go through his wife."

At the time, Miandad lived in Lahore. He has married into one of Pakistan's wealthiest families, and had a centrally located address that was commonly known. Armed with the opening chapter of what I hoped would become a biography, I flew in from Karachi. A friend drove me to Miandad's house, where I stood in the pleasant Lahore spring and rang the bell. It was March 2001. Miandad at the time was the national coach, on duty in New Zealand.

A servant appeared at the gate. I introduced myself and handed him a sheaf of pages stapled together. After several anxious minutes, the servant appeared again, and this time the news good. Mrs Miandad would see me. We had never met before, but she was most kind and welcoming. They had been trying to arrange Miandad's autobiography, she said, but the legend himself had been rather disorganised about it. "So, what's next?" I asked. "Leave it to me," she said.

Tahira Miandad proved true to her word, and a few weeks later I received the call I had been hoping for. Miandad was in Karachi and was barking directions to his mother's house. He said he had quit as the Pakistan coach and had some time on his hands. I dropped everything, bought a big cake along the way and arrived at his doorstep in quick time. My first words on seeing him were to praise his 114 in Georgetown, which I had wanted to do for years. Miandad completely ignored it. "Have you brought a tape recorder?" he asked. The abrasiveness was gone, but he wasn't too friendly either. His tone was all business.

We sat in a sparsely furnished room on the upper floor of a four-storey house, located on a street that has been named in his honour. I flipped on the dictaphone, and Miandad started to speak. He talked about his childhood and his early influences. He kept going off on tangents, but I quickly realised there was little point interrupting him. He talked non-stop and simply talked over you if you tried to speak up. Everything he said was interesting.

Over the next six months, I met him every week, sometimes twice a week. His manner soon became comfortable and chummy. He was witty and passionate, and frequently sarcastic, with a highly colourful tongue. Going over old memories, he found it easy to get into the moment and relive his emotions.

I had heard horror stories about his difficult personality but experienced nothing of the sort. Eventually the book emerged. Miandad did not prove too fussy about the finishing touches. He said he couldn't be bothered to read the manuscript, and asked me to show it instead to his sister-in-law, who gave final approval after a few minor tweaks.

In June 2003, the publishers held a book launch in Karachi. Five people were seated on stage: Miandad, myself, the CEO of the publishing company, Tauqir Zia (chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board), and Raju Jamil, a TV personality and fellow cricket devotee, who had initially referred me to Miandad, and was emcee for the occasion.

A few minutes into proceedings, Hanif Mohammad walked into the hall and quietly took a seat among the audience. Not many people seemed to notice but Miandad spotted him right away and immediately became restless. He stepped down, took Hanif by the hand, and brought him on stage. Everyone was moved by the gesture and both men received a standing ovation. Basking in spontaneous, thunderous applause, Hanif stood beaming. Miandad beamed even more.

That was just one of many delightful memories of working on Miandad's autobiography. Perhaps most entertaining was being in his company when watching live cricket on television. He was highly opinionated, with choice words for nearly every Pakistan player. The only one he showed respect for was Inzamam; everybody else was cut down to size, often with a variety of Urdu expletives.

It was also great fun to be with him in public. People would greet him and wave at him all the time. He always waved back and returned every greeting. At traffic stops, flower vendors would offer him garlands. He feigned reluctance but eventually accepted.

Throughout the project, I quietly wondered how it would feel to play cricket with Javed Miandad. One lazy November afternoon, a few months after the book came out, I was visiting him on Eid, and the ambience was highly convivial. Seeing Miandad in such a relaxed mood, I summoned the courage to ask if I could bowl to him. At first he acted as if he hadn't heard, but when I repeated the request, he eyed me up and down.

"Played any first-class?' he said.
"No," I replied.
"One of the registered clubs?"
"No."
"School team?"
"Tried, but didn't make it."
"Listen," he said finally. "It's best to stick to what you're good at. That's what I've always done, and you should do the same."
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Javed Miandad's Famous SIXER @ Sharjah
Javed Miandad 271 vs NZ 3rd test 1988/89

Waqar Younus

Waqar Younus Biography
Waqar Younis Maitla (born November 16, 1971) is a famous Pakistani cricketer from Burewala, Punjab, and one of the greatest bowlers the game has known. He attended Pakistani College, Sharjah and Government College, Vehari. Playing as a fast bowler, he took 373 Test wickets and 416 wickets in One-day Internationals. He debuted for Pakistan against India on November 15, 1989. It is noteworthy that Sachin Tendulkar debuted in the same match. His most lethal weapon was the in-swinging yorker, which he managed to produce at will and with a high degree of accuracy, as experienced first-hand by plenty of county batsmen who were unfortunate enough to face him at his peak.

Known as the "Burewala Bombshell", Waqar formed one half of the legendary fast bowling partnership with Wasim Akram. At his peak, most were of the view that there was no better bowler, especially with regards to wicket-taking ability and being penetrative. His tendency to aim for the stumps earned him the highest strike rate of all time, among the bowlers with 200 or more wickets. His blistering pace and toe-crushing yorkers put tremendous fear in the batsmen. Much was expected of him but he stayed out of the team for quite a long time to do his talents and fans justice because of his controversial conflicts with once bowling partner and captain Wasim Akram. His comeback, however, came with him being appointed the Captain of the national side - which he remained so till his side failed to make an impact in the 2003 World Cup. He was forced to retire as the Pakistan Cricket Board persistently ignored him for national selection.
Waqar was one of a long line of Pakistanis (starting with Safraz Nawaz) who mastered the art of reverse swing. It was his partnership with Wasim Akram that took this art to new levels, and their 1992 series versus England will forever be remembered as their signature series. Many sections of the English media could not fathom how an old ball could swing so much and so late, and this led to cries of foul play and the infamous allegations of "ball-tampering" from some quarteres. The passage of time, coupled with the fact that England now have their own reverse swing bowlers, has led to an appreciation of the science and skill behind reverse swing, and most now accept that Waqar was simply ahead of his time.

Waqar Younis is cited alongside Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Glenn McGrath, Walsh and Ambrose as the best fast bowler of the 90s. While his contemporaries, Donald and McGrath, played most of their cricket on the fast and bouncy tracks of South Africa and Australia, backed up by the spectacular fielding sides, Waqar Younis, on the other hand, had to contend with the slow and docile tracks of the sub-continent, backed by a fielding side that had nothing so distinguished to write about. An astonishing number of Waqar's wickets have been clean bowled or have come from leg-before decisions showing how much he has had to depend on his own efforts to get his batsmen. He will be known for his attacking bowling as against the "line n' length" bowling of the most of his peers. He bowled one of his best balls to Brian Lara, another cricketing legend, which ended with Lara on the ground, his stump flipped 6 feet away. Waqar Younis has some outstanding records. He is the only bowler who has taken 5 wicket haul in 3 consecutive ODIs. He has taken 4+ wickets on 27 occasions in ODIs, which is a record. He has also taken the fastest 50, 300, 350 and 400 wickets in ODI matches and in test matches he has taken the fastest 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 wickets by lesser number of balls bowled.

Although primarily a bowler, Waqar hit 1010 Test runs; he is in fact (as of September 2005) the only man to pass the thousand mark without ever scoring a fifty. He is now married with a son and a daughter. Recently, he has become a television cricket commentator for Australia's Nine Network since a series against Australia and Pakistan.
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Waqar Younus Career Special

Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram Biography
Wasim Akram born in Lahore, Punjab is a former Pakistani cricketer. He was a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman, who represented the Pakistani cricket team in Tests and One Day Internationals. Widely regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers ever, Akram holds world records for the most wickets taken in both ODIs (502) and List A cricket (881), and was one of the pioneers of reverse swing bowling. The revolutionary nature of reverse swing initially resulted in accusations of ball tampering, although reverse swing has now been accepted as a legitimate feature of the game. Akram's later career was also tarnished with accusations of match fixing, although these remain unproven.

Wasim retired in 2003, after a brief spell with Hampshire in England. Since then, Wasim has taken up commentary and can currently be seen as a sportscaster for the ESPN Star network, and is also running shows on ARY Digital. He is married to Huma Mufti, daughter of Mr. Humayaun Mufti. Wasim and Huma have two sons from their marriage of fourteen years. Wasim has also appeared in Fuzon video as a model.
                                        Wasim Akram
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Wasim Akram- The King Of Swing !!
Wasim Akram (Sultan Of Swing) Vs Rahul Dravid (The Wall) TWO MAGIC SPELLS