Mohammad Amir (born 13 April 1992), also known as Mohammad Aamer, is a Pakistani international cricketer, whose suspension and subsequent five year ban curtailed his promising career. He is a left-arm fast bowler, who opened the bowling in all formats of the game. He made his first-class debut in 2007, and his first One-Day International and Test appearance in 2009 in Sri Lanka, at the age of 17. However, he played his first international match during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, where he played in every game, helping the national side win the tournament.Amir was touted as having the potential to be a leading fast bowler by former Pakistani left arm fast bowler Wasim Akram who picked him out as a prospect in 2007.Since Amir's establishment in the international arena, former Pakistani batsman Rameez Raja, as well as Akram himself, have stated that "He is much cleverer than [Akram] at 18".On 29 August 2010, he was implicated in allegations of spot-fixing
and is currently serving a five-year ban for allegedly bowling
two-deliberate no-balls, Amir however has announced that he plans to
appeal the verdict handed out by his prosecutor the International Cricket Council. In November 2011, Amir was convicted, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, of conspiracy charges relating to spot-fixing. He was given a six-month prison sentence.
Mohammad Amir was born in 1992 in the remote village of Changa Bangyaal, Gujjar Khan, Punjab. He was the youngest of seven children. From a young age, he played street cricket, often trying to emulate his hero, Wasim Akram.
He was quoted as saying, "Wasim Akram is my favourite, he's my idol.
When I used to watch him on TV, I would try to see what exactly he was
doing with the ball. Then I would go outside and imitate his actions and
bowling."In 2003, at the age of 11, Amir was spotted at a local tournament and
invited to join the sports academy set up by the Bajwa in Rawalpindi.After joining the national team, Amir moved to Lahore with his family to be closer to top-flight cricket facilities.Amir was first selected as a fast bowler by the former Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram at a fast bowling camp in 2007. Amir, then 15 years old, went on a tour of England with the Pakistan U-19 cricket team
and was one of the leading bowlers He took 8 wickets at an average of
16.37. In 2008 he took 4 wickets in successive matches against Sri Lanka and England. In this tri-nation tournament played in Sri Lanka
he again excelled with his speed and swing bowling taking 9 wickets at
average of 11.22 in three matches. Due to injury he played only a
limited part in the 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia. In March 2008, he made his domestic debut for the Rawalpindi Rams whilst concurrently representing the National Bank of Pakistan.
His debut domestic season resulted in him taking 55 first-class wickets
for NBP. He took a lot of top order wickets including those of players
in the national side. This strong domestic form resulted in him making
his international breakthrough in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup.In the initial stages of the 2010 World Cup Amir took three wickets in a five wicket-maiden over in a Twenty20 International match against Australia.The other two men were run out in the same over. This set a world
record of three wickets for a bowler in Twenty20 and 5 wickets for a
team in one over.After his successful 2009 T20 World Cup tournament, Amir was selected
in the test squad for Pakistan for the series in Sri Lanka. He was chosen alongside fast bowler Umar Gul and Abdur Rauf, ahead of more notable and experienced names such as Sohail Tanvir. He started his Test career well, taking six wickets in the match, which included the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara in both innings, as well as the Sri Lankan batsman, Mahela Jayawardene's
wicket in the 2nd innings. However he did not get any wickets in his
next two Test matches. His next test wickets came in New Zealand where
he managed to take four wickets in the first Test match, during a losing
game. He won his first Test match with the Pakistan team during his 5th
Test match, as Pakistan won comprehensively by 141 runs, he managed to
take three wickets in the match including the wicket of Ross Taylor,
who scored 97 runs in the second innings. He shone brightly with the
bat as well and showed a solid technique for a lower order batsman.During the Test match series against Australia in 2010, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he took his first five wicket haul, taking the wickets of Australian batsmen Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke.
On 24 July 2010 he was influential in helping Pakistan win the 2nd Test
match against Australia; the first Test match Pakistan had won against
them in 15 years, which also drew the series 1–1. During this match he
took 7 wickets overall, and was declared man of the match. Overall, in
the second series, he was the leading wicket taker of both teams with
his 11 scalps.In the summer of 2010, Amir was awarded the man of the match award
for becoming the youngest player to ever take a five-wicket haul in
England. He also became the youngest player to take 50 test wickets
earning praise from several former international cricketers. In that
eventful series against England, he took 19 wickets, the highest of the
Pakistanis and third highest overall at an outstanding average of 18.3.
He also took 2 five-wicket hauls.
Mohammad Asif (born 20 December 1982) is a Pakistani right-arm fast medium bowler in cricket. Asif was born in Sheikhupura, and has played first-class cricket for Khan Research Labs, the National Bank, Quetta, Sheikhupura, Sialkot and Leicestershire. He made his Test match debut for the Pakistan cricket team against Australia in January 2005.On 20 July 2010, Asif was ranked second leading Test bowler, just behind Dale Steyn.In 2006, there was a cricket controversy involving Asif, after he tested positive for anabolic steroid, Nandrolone,
before having a ban imposed on him overturned on appeal. He was later
withdrawn from Pakistan's World Cup squad with an unrelated injury.
Further cricket controversy followed when he was detained in Dubai
suspected of having drugs on his person and was then found to have
tested positive for a banned substance during the Indian Premier League. In August 2010 he was accused by the News of the World of deliberately bowling no-balls in return for payment from a betting syndicate.
On 5 February 2011 a 3-man tribunal, appointed by the International
Cricket Council (ICC) gave the verdict that he was to be banned for 7
years, with 2 of those suspended if no further offences were committed.
In November 2011, Asif was convicted, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, of conspiracy charges relating to spot-fixing. On 3 November 2011, Asif was given a one-year prison sentence for his role in the scandal.
After impressing in domestic Pakistani cricket, Asif was fast tracked
into the Pakistan test squad and made his first appearance against
Australia in January 2005. He bowled 18 overs without taking a wicket
and Australia won by 9 wickets.Asif was subsequently dropped from the side but returned a year later in January 2006 for the home tour against India. In the second Test, Asif bowled 34 overs and took the wicket of Yuvraj Singh.
It was the third Test in Karachi, however, where Asif would make
headlines. After a poor batting display by Pakistan, Asif took 4 for 78
in the first innings, including the wickets of V. V. S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and, once again, Yuvraj Singh, to help Pakistan take a six-run lead. Asif returned in the second innings with three clean bowled wickets of Virender Sehwag, Laxman, and Sachin Tendulkar to lead Pakistan to victory. His series against the Indians was blighted by a fine imposed by match referee Chris Broad for over-appealing and premature celebration of a wicket. The ODI series that followed this Pakistan lost 4–1 to India.Asif followed up his match-winning efforts against India in Pakistan's next tour in Sri Lanka, where he took a career-best 11 for 71 in the 2nd Test, in another dramatic come-from-behind victory.In November 2005, Leicestershire announced the signing of Asif for the 2006 season after he had played a game for their second XI in 2004. Leicestershire's chairman Neil Davidson described him as a "bowler with the ability to generate great pace".Asif did relatively well picking up 25 wickets in 7 first class games
before leaving to join the Pakistan squad for their tour of England.
Asif was due to line up again with Leicestershire for the 2007 season
but due to injury problems was asked not to play by the PCB.Asif missed the first three Tests in Pakistan's tour to England in the
summer of 2006, but returned to the side for the fourth Test and
immediately made an impact, picking up four wickets (Andrew Strauss,
Alistair Cook, Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen) in the first
innings at the Oval, and another in the second (Marcus Trescothick).
He made history when he became the first bowler to bowl a maiden over
in Twenty20 cricket. In fact he managed to pick up two wickets during
that over, first of Kevin Pietersen for a golden duck and then of Andrew Strauss, also without scoring.
A lot was made of the duel between Asif and Pietersen in matches
between them. Asif enjoyed success against Pietersen having taken his
wicket five times, with three of those dismissals coming from the first
ball without scoring.Asif claimed 19 wickets abroad in Pakistan's test series against South Africa in 2007.
This feat lifted him to eighth in the LG ICC Test player rankings after
only nine appearances – equalling the record for the fewest matches
taken by a Pakistan bowler to reach the top 10, shared by Waqar Younis and Pervez Sajjad
Shoaib Akhtar was one of the fastest bowlers in the history of
international cricket and played for the Pakistan National Cricket Team.
He has been involved in several controversies during his career, often
accused of not being a team player. Akhtar was sent home during the Test
match series in Australia in 2005 for alleged poor attitude. A year
later, he was embroiled in a drug scandal after testing positive to a
banned substance. However, the ban imposed on him was lifted on court
appeal. In September 2007, Akhtar was banned for an indefinite period
for his fight with Pakistan team mate and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.On 1 April 2008, Akhtar was banned for five years for publicly criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board. In October 2008, the Lahore High Court
in Pakistan suspended the five year ban and Akhtar was selected in the
15-man squad for the Twenty20 Quadrangular Tournament in Canada. Pakistani judge, Rana Bhagwandas stated once that, Akhtar is a legend of Pakistan cricket. He retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup.Akhtar was born at Morgah, a small town near Rawalpindi, Punjab in Pakistan. His father was a plant operator in Attock Oil Refinery, Morgah. Akhtar started his studies at Elliott High School, Morgah and then took admission in the Asghar Mall College, Rawalpindi. Akhtar's run of impressive performances started in the 1990s. In
1999, during a pre-World Cup series against India, he rose to
prominence. It was followed by outstanding bowling performances in Sharjah and later in 1999 Cricket World Cup.
His most significant performance was in India in 1999 when he captured
eight wickets in the Asian Test championship match at Calcutta –
including the wickets of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid
off successive deliveries. This was Akhtar's first encounter with
Sachin Tendulkar, in which Akthar bowled him off the first delivery he
delivered to the batsman.In 2002, he was selected for the Pakistan team against Australia and achieved success. However he performed poorly during the 2003 Cricket World Cup
and after the tournament he was dropped from the Pakistan squad. He was
selected back into the Pakistan squad in the 2004 Test match series
against New Zealand, but struggled in a losing Test series against India
in 2004. The series ended with a controversy when he left the field
citing an injury leading to suspicions by former Pakistan captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, about his commitment to the team. As a result, his relationship with Inzamam-ul-Haq and former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer deteriorated. A medical panel was set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board to investigate the nature of his injury, however Pakistan officials dispelled all suspicions.
In 2005, Akhtar regained his reputation as a fast bowler for his side. Playing in a three Test home series against England,
he made a series of impressive bowling performances. His effective use
of slower deliveries proved to be unplayable by the English batsmen.
Akhtar emerged as the highest wicket taker of the series with seventeen
wickets. His comeback was also remarkable as prior to his return, he had
been criticized from all corners-such as by the Worcestershire chairman
John Elliot for his celebrity attitude and lack of commitment to team.
His performance was also acknowledged by the English captain Michael Vaughan, who remarked "I thought he (Shoaib) was a big difference between the two teams".He is also known as the only bowler ever to break the 100 mph barrier
in cricket bowling history, with a delivery of 100.2 mph, and this
delivery at stands as the fastest recorded to date. Akhtar has played for three English county cricket clubs, including Somerset in 2001, Durham in 2003 and 2004 and Worcestershire in 2005. He did achieve his moments of success, such as taking 5 wickets for 35 runs for Durham against Somerset in the National League in 2003 and claiming 6 wickets for 16 runs in the same competition for Worcestershire against Glamorgan
two years later, but he suffered from fitness problems, as well as a
perception that he was less than interested in his task. This was
particularly the case at Worcestershire: chairman John Elliott said
"Players like that are no good to our club. In fact, Akhtar has been no
good for any club he's been at. He's a superstar and just does what he
wants."Akhtar made a successful return to cricket in his first game in the Indian Premier League, playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Delhi Daredevils.
Defending a low score of 133 runs, Akhtar took four top order wickets
which ultimately led to the Daredevils being restricted to 110 runs. He
ended with figures of 4 wickets for 11 runs from three overs, a
performance which earned him the player of the match award.
Akhtar denied that he had any point to prove with his performance,
stating, "I just wanted to win the game." Knight Riders' captain Sourav Ganguly
also acknowledged Akhtar's performance, "He came to the country with
lots [of things] happening behind him...But he showed a lot of
character."
It has been widely reported that the Knight Riders have released Akhtar
from his contract due to his injury history but the Knight Riders'
officials have denied these reports and said they are still in talks
with the fast bowler.He has also played for Cyclones of Chittagong in Bangladesh's NCL T20 Bangladesh.
Saeed Ajmal (born 14 October 1977) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a right-arm off-spin bowler who bats right handed. At domestic level in Pakistan he has represented Faisalabad, with whom he won the 2005 ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup; Khan Research Laboratories; and Islamabad. Ajmal made his One Day International debut for Pakistan in July 2008 at the age of 30, and a year later played his first Test. In 2009 he was reported for having a suspect bowling action, but after being cleared he helped Pakistan win the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. Ajmal played for Worcestershire as an overseas player in English domestic cricket in 2011. Since November 2011, Ajmal has been ranked by the International Cricket Council
as the number one bowler in ODIs. On 28 January 2012, in the second
test against England, Ajmal became the quickest Pakistani to
take 100 test wickets.Ajmal has played for Faisalabad since his debut in 1995 at the age of 18. Ajmal represented the Faisalabad Wolves in the 2005 ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup, his team won the final in which he was man of the match. When Faisalabad won the final of the ABN-AMRO Patron's Cup in March 2006 Ajmal was named the tournament's best bowler and was given a Rs 25,000 prize. He has also represented Khan Research Laboratories, who were runners-up in the final of the 2008/09 Quaid-i-Azam Trophy; though his side lost the final, Ajmal took 5/105 and 2/55 and in the process passed 250 first-class wickets.Ajmal has also played for Islamabad.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup in June 2008; Ajmal was included in the 15-man squad and was expected to act as a foil to Shahid Afridi's leg spin. He made his debut against India on 2 July 2008. Ajmal took a single wicket, that of Yusuf Pathan, from his ten overs while conceding 47 runs (1/47) as Pakistan won by eight wickets. before taking 2/19 in a ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh, although the team had no chance of progressing to the competition's final. In November that year Pakistan travelled to the United Arab Emirates to face the West Indies in a three-match ODI series. Ajmal and Afridi were the team's only spin options; the former took a single wicket while conceding 73 runs and Pakistan won all three matches.
Ajmal's next match the third ODI against Sri Lanka in January 2009. In April Pakistan faced Australia in the UAE in five ODIs. Playing in all five matches Ajmal took four wickets at an average of 39.50. He was then picked for the Sri Lankan series in Sri Lanka where he had made solid performances in the Test matches, being picked ahead of Danish Kaneria in two of the matches.
In April 2009, Ajmal was reported by umpires for having a suspect
bowling action. An independent test the following month demonstrated
that Ajmal's arm flexed within the 15 degree tolerance allowed by the International Cricket Council. Later that year, the Pakistan Cricket Board named a pool of 30 players from which they would chose their final squad for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20,
held in June. Initially left out, Ajmal was one of three players added
to the list, replacing players who were dropped because they were
contracted with the controversial Indian Cricket League. In the tournament, Ajmal partnered Afridi.Pakistan won the tournament, and Ajmal was the tournament's joint second highest wicket-taker with twelve dismissals from seven games (only Pakistan's Umar Gul took more wickets, with thirteen dismissals).
Ajmal's good form continued in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 as he was Pakistan's leading wicket taker. However despite his good form he was known for conceding three sixes to Michael Hussey
in what has been hailed as the most thrilling Twenty20 match of all
time as Australia were in trouble and Ajmal was the unfortunate bowler
who bowled that final over.Shortly after this the Pakistan team began a tour of England where they would face Australia in two Tests in July, and subsequently play England in four Tests and five ODIs. Danish Kaneria
was preferred to Ajmal in the first match against Australia, but after
Pakistan lost the selectors considered dropping the leg-spinner and
chosing Ajmal. In the event, Ajmal was not selected until the second Test against England,when Kaneria was dropped because he had been ineffective. Though
Pakistan lost the match by nine wickets, Ajmal took his first
five-wicket haul in Tests. In Pakistan's second innings, with his team
looking to set a target for England to chase, Ajmal scored 50 from
79 balls, his first half-century in Tests, before he was dismissed by
fellow off spinner Graeme Swann.During the series against England Pakistan became englufed in a spot
fixing scandal after the fourth test and in a later secret interview it
was unveiled by alleged fixer Mazhar Majeed that Ajmal, Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi were difficult to bribe. He stated that Ajmal was too religious to get involved into fixing.
Sarfraz Nawaz Malik (born 1 December 1948, Lahore, Punjab) is a former Pakistani Test cricketer and politician who discovered reverse swing and was instrumental in Pakistan's first Test series victories over India and England. Between 1969 and 1984 he played 55 Tests and 45 One Day Internationals and was Imran Khan's regular new ball partner. In 1978–79 he took 9/86 against Australia at Melbourne, including a spell of 7/1 off 33 balls when they were 77 runs short of victory, but in the next Test at Perth Sarfraz controversially dismissed the Australian batsman Andrew Hilditch for handling the ball.
In his first Test – against England at Karachi
– the twenty year old Sarfraz took no wickets or catches, did not bat
and was dropped for four years. He made his name in 1972–73 by taking
4/53 and 4/56 against Australia a the SCG, accounting for Ian and Greg Chappell, Keith Stackpole and Ian Redpath, but this did not stop the hosts winning by 56 runs. At Headingley in 1974 Sarfraz hit 53 off 74 balls to convert 209/8 into 285 all out, driving the ball fiercely off Geoff Arnold, Chris Old, Mike Hendrick, Tony Greig and Derek Underwood in a low scoring match. Against Clive Lloyd's West Indians in 1974–75 he took 6/89 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to dismiss them for 214, but the Test and the series were both drawn. Sarfraz was made vice-captain to Wasim Bari, but disappeared before the Second Test against England in 1977–78. He was found in London where he had gone to see Christmas even though he was a Muslim and returned to Pakistan in time for the Third Test. As World Series Cricket was operating at time it was speculated that he was negotiating with Kerry Packer. At Lords in 1978 he took 5/39 to reduce England to 119/7, dismissing Mike Brearley, Graham Gooch, David Gower, Ian Botham and Bob Taylor, but rain ruined play and the match was drawn. More decisively in 1978–79 Sarfraz's haul of 4/89 and 5/70 against India at Karachi
gave Pakistan victory in the third and final Test by eight wickets. He
took 17 wickets (25.00) in the series, the most by any player and
Pakistan won their first Test series against their rivals despite having
played them since 1952. Sarfraz's greatest bowling performance took place in the First Test at Melbourne in 1978–79 when Australia were 305/3 with Allan Border (105) and Kim Hughes (84) at the crease needing only 77 runs to win. Sarfraz took 7/1 in 33 balls and dismissed Australia for 310 to give Pakistan a surprise 71 run victory. At the time his 9/86 in an innings was the best Test match analysis in Australia, the best by a Pakistani bowler and the fifth best in Test cricket.
Sarfraz had also made 35 coming in a 99/6 in the first innings and took
11/125 in the match. He was also involved in the controversial
dismissal of Andrew Hilditch for handling the ball in the Second Test at the WACA in Perth.
The batsman was at the non-striker's end when the ball was returned to
the crease by the wayward throw of a fielder. Hilditch picked up the
ball and politely gave it to Sarfraz, Sarfraz appealed and Hilditch was
given out. It was only the second time in a hundred years of Test
cricket that a batsman had been given out in this fashion and though
strictly correct it was considered to be against the spirit of the game.
Earlier in the match the Australian tailender Rodney Hogg had been run out while 'gardening' and Alan Hurst ran out Sikander Bakht when backing up, two pieces of gamesmanship which caused bad feeling between the teams. Australia made 236/3 to win the Test and square the series, the other two batsmen being run out and no bowler taking a wicket.
Sarfraz played for Northamptonshire in two separate spells and in the 1980 Benson and Hedges Cup he took 3/23 off 11 overs to restrict Essex to 203/8 in Northant's six run win. In 1983–84 he took 4/42 and 2/27 in the First Test against England at Karachi and hit the winning runs when Pakistan made 66/7 to win. After several 'retirements' the Third Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore
proved to be his last and in the first innings his 4/49 helped dismiss
England for 241. When Pakistan were reduced to 181/8 Sarfraz made 90,
his highest Test and First Class score, adding 161 for the ninth wicket with his captain Zaheer Abbas (82 not out) to give his team a 102 run lead. Unfortunately, David Gower
made 173 not out and Safraz was hit for 1/112 in the second innings,
but came in at 199/5 and saw out the match with 10 not out. This ensured
that Pakistan kept their 1–0 lead to win their first Test series
against England.
Saleem Malik (born April 16, 1963) (also known as Salim Malik) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1981/82 and 1999, at one stage captaining the Pakistani cricket team.
He was a right-handed wristy middle order batsman who was strong square
of the wicket. His legbreak bowling was also quite effective. Despite
playing over 100 Tests he would go down in cricket history as the first of a number of international cricketers to be banned for match fixing around the turn of the 21st century. Saleem is the brother-in-law of former teammate Ijaz Ahmed.Malik played his first Test match in March 1982, against Sri Lanka at Karachi.After making 12 in his first innings he made an unbeaten 100 in the
second to set up a declaration. Aged 18 years and 323 days he was at the
time the second youngest player to make a century on Test debut.During the tour of England in 1987, Malik fell for 99 at Headingley
and made 102 at The Oval. He would become familiar with English
conditions, playing for Essex
for a couple of years during the early 1990s. He had a good season in
1991, scoring 1972 runs, the 3rd most by a non English player for Essex.In Test cricket he performed better against England than any other of
his opponents, appearing 19 times and making 1396 runs at 60.70.One of his notable performances in One Day International cricket was an innings that he played against India in 1987.
Chasing 238 in 40 overs, Pakistan were reduced to 5/161 when Saleem
arrived at the crease. He scored 72 out of the remaining 77 runs
required, making them from just 36 deliveries. He finished unbeaten and
Pakistan won by 2 wickets with 3 balls still to spare in the match.He captained Pakistan in 12 Tests, winning 7. In ODI cricket he led his country 34 times and won 21 of them.
Malik captained Pakistan in tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe before
being suspended from cricket having been accused of bribery. He was
however found innocent and allowed to continue his career. Malik played
his last Test match in January 1999 but ended his cricket career in
disgrace, having been banned from associating himself with the game in
any capacity by Justice Qayyam's enquiry in May 2000. He became the
first ever cricketer to be banned for match fixing and his appeals of
innocence have not borne fruit since, remaining an outcast in the
cricketing world.A local court of Lahore, has lifted the life ban imposed by Pakistan Cricket Board on October 23, 2008. Civil judge Malik Mohammad Altaf ruled in favor of Malik and quashed the ban imposed for alleged match fixing.He was selected as the Chief Coach for country's National Cricket
Academy on 3rd November, 2008 just days after the ban was lifted. Saleem
Malik rejected to become the head coach of Pakistan Cricket Academy.
Saeed Anwar (born 6 September 1968) is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint third highest individual score in a One Day International.Saeed Anwar graduated from NED University, Karachi in 1989 and is an engineer by profession. He was planning to go to the United States for his Master's studies before becoming a professional test Cricketer.He faced a personal tragedy in 2001, when his daughter died after a prolonged illness. As a result he turned to religion. He made his return to Cricket after a long hiatus and was one of the most consistent Pakistani batsmen in the 2003 World Cup.On 15 August 2003, he announced his retirement from Cricket after he
was dropped from the squad for the upcoming One-Day International
tournament in Sharjah. He devoted his life to preaching Islam across Pakistan with the Tablighi Jamaat. He led the funeral prayers for his ex team mate Wasim Akram's spouse, Huma Akram, in Lahore.
An opening batsman capable of annihilating any bowling attack on his
day, Anwar was an attacking batsman in one-day matches and once settled
in Test matches,
scored quickly and all over the field. His success came from good
timing.Anwar became famous for his trademark flick. He was able to lift a
ball that had pitched outside off stump for six over midwicket. Anwar's
timing and ability to score quick runs made him a crowd favourite. He
was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997.Anwar was the first Pakistani batsman to score a century against
India on Indian soil in a one-day match. He has the highest Test batting
average (59.06) of any Pakistani against Australia, and once scored
three consecutive centuries against them. He scored a classic century
against South Africa in Durban, which allowed Pakistan to win a Test match for the first time in South Africa.On 21 May 1997 in Chennai, Anwar scored 194 against India in India in an ODI match.Charles Coventry equalled the feat on 16 August 2009, against Bangladesh. This was the highest individual score by any batsman in the world till Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 200 against South Africa on 24 February 2010.Anwar is a member of the exclusive club of batsmen who have scored
three successive hundreds in ODIs, with hundreds against Sri Lanka, West
Indies and Sri Lanka during the 1993–94 Champions Trophy in Sharjah.
He scored two successive hundreds on three other occasions in his
career, and was the first batsman to complete this feat in ODIs.
Anwar (194) and Charles Coventry (194*) shared the record for highest
individual score in an ODI match until it was overtaken by India's Sachin Tendulkar (200*) against South Africa cricket team on 24 February 2010 and Virender Sehwag's 219 against West Indies on 8 December 2011 at Indore.
Anwar has scored two or more successive hundreds on four occasions. He
holds the highest Test batting average (59.06) of any Pakistani against
Australia in Test matches, and made 20 hundreds in One Day
Internationals as a Pakistan opening batsman.
