Pakistan Cricket Page
Zaheer was a lovely player to watch when in full flow. His first hundred was a glorious 274 at Nottingham in 1971. Zaheer had a special liking for English pitches, he made another double hundred, 240 at the Oval in the 1974 tour.He played for Glamorgan in county cricket and made tons of runs and eventually became the first Asian batsman to score a hundred hundreds in first class cricket.
Javed Miandad was a gutsy cricketer who earned the admiration of fans and opponents alike right through his career. Starting his career with a century on debut against New Zealand, Javed was a pillar of strength to the Pakistan team right from his early days. He gained notoriety for his infamous clash with Dennis Lillee in the Perth Test of November 1981, revealing in no uncertain terms his combative instincts. Javed scored an epic 280* agianst India in the Hyderabad test of 1982-83 and was a prolific scorer in England where he made a glorious 260 at the Oval in 1987. Miandad also has a big double hundred against New Zealand, a mammoth 271 at Auckland in 1989. His record in one dayers is as brilliant if not better, having authored several crucial wins for Pakistan. His last ball of Chetan Sharma in the 1986 Australasia Cup final is a part of Pakistan's cricket folklore. He also had a prolific record in World Cups, having played a terrific role in the 1992 Cup triumph. Miandad's last international appearance was in Bangalore in the 1996 Cup quarterfinal, the ageing warrior scored a gutsy 38 before being run out, Pakistan's hopes dying with him.
Imran Khan is one of the finest all rounders the world has ever known. A terrific swing bowler with a breathtaking action Imran was instrumental in pakistan winning the Sydney Test to square the series in 1976-77. His finest hour was in 1982-83 when he led the team to a 3-0 rout of India taking 40 wickets @ 13.95 in the six test series. Kayoed by injuries, Imran was out of action for 3 years but came back to international cricket with a bang in 1985-86. Pakistan won the Australasia Cup under his captaincy and went on to bowl the mighty Windies out for 53 in the Faislabad Test that they won that year. Later on Imran lead the squad to success in India and England in 1987 and almost beat the Windies in the Caribbean the next year. Imran was an inspiring captain and mentored several outstanding young talent. Players like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam Ul Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Aaquib Javed blossomed under his captaincy. Imran's inspirational captaincy culminated in pakistan wining the Benson and Hedgts World cup Down Under in 1992, a tournament made memorable by thrilling performances from young players like Wasim Akram, Inzamam and Mushtaq. His phenomenal deeds have ensured Pakistan cricket will never be the same again.
Imran has always revelled in the seaming tracks in England. Under his captaincy Pakistan lost a closely fought series 2-1 in England in 1982. Imran's performances were 22 & 65 and 7-52 & 2-84 at Birmingham, 12 and 2-55 & 2-84 in the Lord's Test which they won and 67* & 46 and 5-49 and 3-66 in the Leeds Test that England won amidst controversial umpiring decisions. However he hit back in style winning the next Test series in 1987, bowling Pakistan to victory at Leeds. Imran made 26 and then took 3-37 and 7-40, sailing past the 300 wicket mark when he nabbed Jack Richards on July 4, 1987.
Wasim Akram is undoubtedly the most thrilling cricketer of our times. Were he to charge entertainment tax for his talents, the world would probably go bankrupt! Time and again Akram has won matches for Pakistan with a lethal spell or occasionally with his explosive batting. Akram stole the thunder as an 18 year old in 1985 when he almost bowled Pakistan to victory in a close Test in New Zealand picking ten wickets. However his moment was to come in Australia in the World Championship when he took 5-21 to send the home side crashing to defeat. Since then he played stellar roles in almost every one of Pakistan's triumphs notably the Nehru Cup final in Calcutta where he hit a six to win the match, the Australasia Cup final in Sharjah 1990 where he took a hat-trick in the final against the Aussies and of course the World Cup final where he hit a blazing 33 off only 19 balls and later broke the back of the English batting with some stunning deliveries. Akram blasted a match winning 50 aginst India in the Australasia Cup final in 1994 that Pakistan won and later went on to take over 300 test wickets in 1996 in both versions of the game. He is currently Pakistan's inspirational skipper and won for them the Asian Test Championship in 1999, taking two hat-tricks in successive tests. Could the 1999 World Cup be the crowing moment of this scintillating cricketer's career? Time will tell..
Akram has just got throught the defence of Allan Lamb with a beauty of a delivery in the 1992 World Cup final at the MCG
In recent times Wasim Akram has often proved he can be one of the most inspirational captains. Leading a team of talented but raw youngsters, he has moulded them into a world-class outfit. He has led Pakistan to several spectacular triumphs and seems to have able donned the cloak of Imran Khan, his mentor.
Wasim Akram takes the wicket of Mohammed Azharuddin in the Champions Trophy at Sharjah on December 14 1997. Sharjah has always been a happy hunting ground for Wasim. He has taken two one day hat-tricks there and has played many a scinillating knock to take his team to victories.
AN ALL TOO FAMILIAR SIGHT : Wasim is sharply accurate and is a deadly swinger of the ball. He possesses a lethal yorker and more oftne than not gets his victims the comprehensive way.
A lovely panoramic view of the Melbourne Cricket Ground where Pakistan beat England to win the 1992 World Cup.
