Sunday, June 28, 2015

Special Performances in Landmark 100th Test

Not enough foreign tours, no international cricket at home, no international cricket against India, not enough tests in a calendar year; despite all this, if a Pakistani cricketer manages to appear in 100 tests, it is an achievement like no other. Definitely a bigger achievement than it is for cricketers from other test playing nations. Especially the ones from the so called "Big 3".

Only 62 cricketers have appeared in at least 100 tests, with Younis Khan being the 62nd. England (13) has the most cricketers who have played at least 100 tests, followed by Australia (12), India (10), and West Indies (9). That is no surprise considering the amount of test cricket England and Australia have played, and the amount of test cricket that India has been playing since the turn of the century. In contrast, South Africa (6), Pakistan and Sri Lanka (5), and New Zealand (2) have far less contributions to the 100-test club.

For Pakistanis it is even more special considering that only 4 cricketers before Younis played in 100 tests - Javed Miandad, Salim Malik, Wasim Akram, and Inzamam Ul Haq. Even the iconic Imran Khan (88 tests), despite a career that spanned 21 years, did not manage to play 100 tests. Whereas two other legendary cricketers, Mohammad Yousuf (90) and Waqar Younis (87), could have easily played 100 tests for Pakistan if it wasn't for injuries and team politics.

Where it has taken cricketers like Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, and Michael Clarke around 8 years to play 100 tests, Younis Khan achieved the landmark after 15 years of test cricket! Almost double the time. Players like Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen, who debuted after Younis and have left the game several years ago even played 100 tests.

Younis Khan's test record is phenomenal. Not many batsmen have scored as many runs as Younis has after 100 tests. Only Brian Lara scored more. It is so unfortunate that Pakistan do not play enough test cricket. While Younis could not make his 100th test more special, there have been other cricketers who have made this special occasion even better by producing a special performance.

Here are some of these special performances in 100th Tests:

Javed Miandad
He celebrated his 100th Test by scoring 145 against his favorite opposition - India - and also became the first cricketer in the history of test cricket to score a century in his debut test and his 100th test.

Gordon Greenigde
Missed a 150 by only 1 run against England, but a score of 149 ensured a win for West Indies and placed Greenidge alongside Miandad as the only two batsmen in the world to score centuries in their debut and 100th tests.

It has been 25 years since Miandad and Greenidge managed this special feat; but no other debut centurion has joined their ranks yet.

Ricky Ponting
To date, Ponting remains the only batsman in the world to score centuries in each innings of his 100th test. He truly made his 100th test special by scoring 120 and 143* against South Africa and leading Australia to a test win. He was also captaining his team.

Inzamam Ul Haq
Inzamam was also captaining Pakistan in his 100th test, which was against India. He produced a remarkable performance by scoring 184, which remains the highest score by any batsman in their 100th test. His inning also ensured victory for Pakistan in a test in India. It doesn't get more special than that.

Greame Smith, Alec Stewart, and Colin Cowdrey are the other 3 batsmen who have scored a century in their 100th test.

The spin trio - Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and Muttiah Muralitharan - are the only bowlers who delivered special performances in their 100th tests. While Murali picked up 9 wickets against Bangladesh including a second innings haul of 6-54 leading Sri Lanka to victory, Kumble picked up 5-89 vs Sri Lanka in the second innings to lead India to a test win. Warne not only managed wickets but scored some runs as well on his special occasion. Against South Africa, he picked up 2-70 in the first innings and then scored 63 while batting; he followed that up with 6-161 in the second innings and remained unbeaten on 15 as Australia chased down the target successfully.

While these 10 cricketers will always be part of history for their performances in their 100th tests, there are some cricketers who would want to forget their 100th test appearance forever.

Allan Border (b Ambrose), Dilip Vengsarkar (b Bracewell), Alastair Cook (b Ryan Harris), Stephen Fleming (c&b Ntini), and Mark Taylor (b Cork) were all dismissed for a duck in their 100th Test. Alastair Cook has the unfortunate distinction of being dismissed of the first ball of the innings. Interestingly, all 5, were also captaining their respective teams.

Another batsman who would like to forget his 100th test is Justin Langer. He faced the first delivery of Australia's innings, like he had done for most past of his career as a test opener, from Makhaya Nitini. The ball was pitched short. While trying to duck, Langer got hit on the back of the helmet and collapsed to the ground. He was taken to the hospital for a check-up and did not bat again in the match.


100 test matches are indeed a special achievement, however only a few cricketers have made their special achievements memorable by producing performances that will remain etched in memory forever. While Pakistan has produced only 5 cricketers who have appeared in 100 tests, 2 of those cricketers hold records for 100th Test Match appearances that may never be broken.

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Monday, June 22, 2015

Yasir Shah has made World Cricket better!

Pakistan has had a strong track record of producing world class leg spinners. In fact, besides Australia, Pakistan is the only cricket nation that has given cricket a constant stream of leg spinners that have gone on to become match winners.

While Australia have had the likes of Richie Benaud, Bill O'Reilly, Arthur Mailey, Clarie Grimmet, Stuart Macgill, and the best ever Shane Warne, Pakistan have produced Intikhab Alam, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Danish Kaneria, and the master of the googly Abdul Qadir.

The newest leg spinner in town, Pakistan's Yasir Shah, is another one of the same breed - a world class match winning leg spinner!

Yasir's 7 wicket haul in the second innings against Sri Lanka ensured a win for Pakistan in a test that was looking to meander towards a draw. His 7-76 is now a record for the best bowling figures ever by an overseas bowler in a test in Sri Lanka.

What is even better is that Yasir broke a record (7-94), which was previously held by the best leg spinner ever to play the game - Shane Warne. 

Warne has publicly praised Yasir a number of times, He has tweeted a lot of praise and also spoken on TV about how he believes that Yasir is the best leg spinner in the world today. There aren't many around these days, but the two that are prominent are both from Pakistan - Yasir Shah and Imran Tahir.

And Yasir Shah, with every game, is proving Shane Warne correct and showing the world why he is really the best leggie in the business.

Surely he has a long way to go, but the start of his test career has been phenomenal! With 46 wickets in only 8 tests, Yasir is on the verge of creating a Pakistan record. With only 4 wickets in the next test, he will become the fastest bowler to 50 test wickets for Pakistan. Not only faster than any spinner to play for Pakistan, but faster than all of our bowling legends.


There are only 18 bowlers in this world who have picked up 50 wickets in 9 tests or less; and only 3 bowlers have achieved that in the past 40 years - Macgill, Philander, and Ashwin. The record feat for a leg spinner is also 9 tests - jointly held by Australia's Arthur Mailey and Stuart Macgill. 

Yasir Shah is all set to join the legendary leagues of the best.


Yasir has not only achieved personal milestones in his short career; his bowling efforts have resulted in historic test wins for Pakistan.

He made his debut against Australia in the UAE last year and his 12 wickets in the 2 tests at an average of only 17 were instrumental in Pakistan beating Australia in a test series for the first time in 20 years.

He was among the wickets again in test wins over New Zealand and Bangladesh.

And now, he has become the chief architect of Pakistan's first test win in Sri Lanka for 9 years.

If he continues in the same vein, Pakistan will win a lot more tests and will surely climb higher in the test rankings. A series win over Sri Lanka will put them at 3rd, behind only Australia and South Africa.

Leg spin bowling was never the same since Shane Warne retired. It had been a long time since cricket had seen a bowler mesmerizing batsmen with leggies, googlies, and faster ones. So thank God for the emergence of Yasir Shah for there are few better sights than seeing a batsman troubled by the wiles of a leg spinner.

Pakistan and world cricket are definitely richer with a bowler like Yasir Shah.

He will go on to create Pakistan records, maybe even world records, but the best part will always be that the world once again has someone who can spin it at good pace past the batsmen, dip it alarmingly fast, get it to zip through at pace, and turn it back into them deceivingly well!

Above all, he can do all this all day long with a smile on his face!

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Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka - Major Personal Milestones Around the Corner

This post first appeared on DAWN.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka has become an all too familiar sight for the cricket watching public. This is Pakistan's third visit to the Island for a full tour in the past 4 years. To put it into context, Pakistan has not toured Australia, England, New Zealand, or the West Indies during this period. Moreover, Pakistan has also played Sri Lanka in the UAE twice during this time, making this the 5th test series between the two sides since October 2011.

During this period, the two teams have played 11 tests with Sri Lanka holding a slight edge with 4 wins to Pakistan's 2. Both of Pakistan's wins have come in the UAE. In fact, it has been 9 years since Pakistan won a test match in Sri Lanka; that was the last time that Pakistan won a test series in the Island as well.

Besides turning around their test performance in Sri Lanka, Pakistan's test cricketers will also be eyeing some personal achievements during this test series.

YOUNIS KHAN
Pakistan's absolute test legend will play his 100th test during this series, fitness permitting of course. This will be a significant feather in his cap making him only the 5th player from Pakistan to play 100 tests (the others are Javed Miandad, Inzamam Ul Haq, Wasim Akram, and Salim Malik).

Younis Khan also has some more achievements to look forward to. He needs only 286 runs to go past Javed Miandad and become Pakistan's leading run scorer in test cricket; only 453 runs to become the first Pakistani to score 9,000 test runs; only 1 century to become the first Pakistani batsman to hit 30 test centuries.

Given the form Younis has been in recently, there is every likelihood that he will achieve all these feats during the upcoming 3-test series against Sri Lanka.
Ahmed Shehzad
Pakistan's talented young opener has had a fabulous start to his test career scoring 718 runs, including 3 centuries, in only 15 test innings. He needs another 282 runs to reach a 1,000 test runs and he has the opportunity to create a Pakistan record of becoming the fastest batsman to reach 1,000 test runs. The record right now is held by Saeed Ahmed who required 20 innings to complete 1,000 test runs. 

Shehzad is also in the running for a Pakistan record in terms of time required to score 1,000 test runs. Having made his test debut on 31st December 2013, it had been 1 year and 164 days since his test debut. The Pakistani selectors denied him a good opportunity to create this record by unfairly dropping him from the test squad against Bangladesh, but good on them to correct this mistake and bring the talented opener back into the fold. 

Misbah Ul Haq
Pakistan's test captain has already achieved so much while captaining the team that there doesn't seem much left for him to do. He has taken Pakistan to number 3 in the test rankings, he has won more tests as captain than any other Pakistan captain, he has scored more runs as captain than any other Pakistan captain, and he has led Pakistan more times than everyone else, except for the great Imran Khan.

So what else is left for Misbah to make his own? Well, he needs 1 more century to equal and two more to break Inzamam Ul Haq's record of 7 test centuries scored as Pakistan captain.
Yasir Shah
Pakistan's newest leg spinner has been a revelation in test cricket. He has taken over from Saeed Ajmal in the best possible way and has plenty of wickets to show for his tenacity and perseverance. Rated by Shane Warne as the best leg spinner in the world today, Yasir Shah has so far picked up 37 wickets in only 7 tests.

He has the opportunity to complete 50 test wickets faster than any bowler from Pakistan if he can pick up another 13 wickets in the next 2 tests. The Pakistan record for fastest to reach 50 test wickets is jointly held by Waqar Younis, Mohammad Asif, and Shabbir Ahmed, who managed it in 10 tests. For spinners, the Pakistan record is held by Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman who required 11 tests.
Yasir Shah also has time on his side as it has only been 235 days since his Test debut against Australia in October last year. No one has achieved the feat of picking up 50 test wickets for Pakistan within a year of his debut.

While the overall international record for fastest 50 test wickets is 6 tests, held by Charlie Turner from Australia, the record among spinners is held by Alfred Valentine, the slow left armer from West Indies, who managed the feat in 8 tests. Yasir can't break that record but he definitely has the opportunity to equal it.
While Pakistan will be looking to improve its test record in Sri Lanka, and its cricketers will have their eyes firmly on their personal goals, Pakistan's two biggest nemeses will be licking their lips at the prospect of playing against their favorite opposition once again. Kumar Sangakkara and Rangana Herath have been the two biggest hurdles that Pakistan has not been able to overcome.

No one has scored more test runs or test centuries against Pakistan than Sangakkara has.

Moreover, Sangakkara will be looking to add to his 2,809 runs against Pakistan and become the first batsman in the world to score 3,000 test runs against them. That will make him the first cricketer to score 3,000 test runs against an opposition besides Australia and England. The feat has been achieved only 7 times before - by Bradman, Border, Sobers, and Steve Waugh vs England; and Tendulkar, Hobbs, and Gower vs Australia.

Rangana Herath has also been very successful in tests against Pakistan picking up 88 wickets in only 17 matches, making him the third most successful bowler against Pakistan. He needs only 3 more wickets to surpass Shane Warne, and only 12 more wickets to become the first bowler in the world to pick up 100 wickets in tests against Pakistan.

So then, even though the upcoming test series may reek of too much familiarity, there is plenty at stake for the players taking part. It will definitely make for interesting viewing to witness experienced campaigners like Younis, Misbah, Sangakkara, and Herath achieve the above mentioned milestones near the end of their careers; as it would be to witness upcoming talent like Shehzad and Yasir to achieve their feats so early in their careers.

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Monday, June 8, 2015

Younis Khan - The Best Test Batsman Produced by Pakistan. Maybe the World.

Pakistan rarely plays a Test Series where Younis Khan does not make an impact and their most recent test series against Bangladesh was no different as Younis played yet another instrumental innings to set up a Pakistan win in the second test. Pakistan's senior most batsman has been an absolute legend in Tests, something he has not been able to replicate in ODIs where he finds himself out of favor with the selectors and the public. When it comes to tests, however, Younis Khan is a giant of the game and arguably the best batsman produced by Pakistan in the format. Maybe even the world.

As the Pakistan test team departs for a 3-match test series against Sri Lanka, where Younis Khan will play his 100th test (fitness permitting ofcourse), here we tell you why Younis is in fact the absolute test best!

Last year, in the test series against Australia, Younis Khan became the first batsman from Pakistan to score a century against every test playing opposition. He is one of the only 12 batsmen in the world who have achieved the same feat. Younis Khan is also Pakistan's leading test centurion with 4 more centuries than the next best 25 of Inzamam Ul Haq; Younis Khan's most recent test century against Bangladesh was his 29th. Moreover, currently at third, he is only 285 runs away from becoming the leading run scorer for Pakistan in tests.

Best in the World in Past Decade
While there is little doubt that he is one of the best produced by Pakistan, his performances over the years demonstrate that he is among the best in the world as well. He has performed far better than most of the modern day greats that the world media is always vocal about. In a number of ways he has given remarkable performances that out shine those of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid.

Not only has Younis scored more runs than all of them after 98 tests, he has averaged more than all of them in the past decade of test cricket.

Only Kumar Sangakkara averages more than Younis in tests played since 1st January 2005, and only Sangakkara and Kallis have more centuries than Younis does during this period. What is even more eye opening is that Younis has the same number of centuries as Hashim Amla does during these 10 years in 15 fewer innings.

Exceptional away from home
Those who are quick to call Younis good on only subcontinental wickets must be pleasantly surprised to note that Younis has scored runs all over the world and against all opposition. He is the third highest run scorer in tests played away from home; behind only Tendulkar and Dravid. Additionally, only Tendulkar has scored more centuries away from home than Younis has. Younis is also one of the few batsmen in this world who average over 50 in tests played away from home.

An Absolute Match Winner
Sachin Tendulkar is often criticized by his own countrymen for scoring tons of runs that don't matter. Critics claim that Tendulkar hardly ever scored when it mattered and that he does not have as many match winning innings as someone like Dravid or Inzamam. There is absolutely no doubt in that statement when one takes a look at the batsmen that have the highest averages in tests won by their team.

Younis Khan is right up there, over and above all, except Inzamam and Sir Gary Sobers. Younis has a phenomenal average of 75.4 in tests won by Pakistan and 15 of his test hundreds have come in winning causes. Younis' contribution to Pakistan's wins has been remarkable and significantly better than that of the 'popular' modern day greats that are still playing such as AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla, Micheal Clarke, and Alastair Cook.

A Match Winner away from home
Younis has not only contributed to test wins for Pakistan, he has done so for tests won away from home as well, which has been a task and a half for subcontinent teams in the recent past. Younis is the leading run scorer in the world in tests won away from home, and his Bradmenesque average of 90 in those tests is the third best in the world, behind only two Englishmen - Cook and Wally Hammond. Younis also has the most centuries in tests won away from home and is equal on that front with another legend, Steve Waugh.

A King of the 4th Innings
Younis' true testament to being a batsman for all conditions comes forth in the fact that he is among the only 8 batsmen in this world who average above 50 in the 4th innings of test matches, and among the only 4 batsmen in this world who have scored 4 test centuries in 4th innings of tests. It doesn't take a genius to know that such centuries can only be match winning or match saving efforts.

A More Frequent Century Maker
It is a shame that Pakistan does not play enough test cricket for if Younis Khan played as much as Tendulkar, Kallis, Ponting, Sangakkara, and other great batsmen did he would have more runs and more centuries than all of them. Younis has been around for 15 years and in this time he has played only 98 tests. Others like Sangakkara, Cook, KP, Graeme Smith, Clarke who debuted around the same time or after Younis have gone to play well above a 100 test matches. Younis' average and the number of innings he takes to score a test 100 demonstrate that he would have scored far more runs than any of the above mentioned batsmen (barring Sangakkara) had Pakistan played more tests than the other countries.


So for all those who talk about Tendulkar, Dravid, Ponting, Lara, Kallis, and Sangakkara as the modern day greats and mention Cook, Clarke, KP, ABD, and Amla as the current generation of great test batsmen must not forget Younis Khan who stands over and above all these batsmen. He is a test legend no less and the best this world has seen. Fortunately for all of us, he is not done yet and his fitness levels are good enough to keep him going for some more years at least.

The intangible effect that Younis Khan has had is also a feat for the great batsmen. All his captains have spoken highly of him being a true team man. While the younger generation of Pakistani batsmen have publicly praised Younis for helping the out on and off the field. Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, and Umar Akmal claim that Younis was the guiding force towards them scoring their first, and in some cases many more, test centuries.

Younis' contribution to Pakistan's test success is nothing short of phenomenal and the man will go down in history as the best test batsman ever produced by Pakistan. 

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