Cricket Tips
When it comes to Cricket, we've been there, done that, now serving 32 tips in 5 categories ranging from General to Rules.
Shahid Khan Afridi
Shahid Khan Afridi; called in as a last minute replacement leg spinner for the One Day Tournament in Kenya in 1996, amazed everyone by smashing a century off 37 balls after being promoted to one down. The promise shown in his early batting in international cricket has gradually worn off due to poor self-control and perhaps team management. He has not been called upon to play regular first class cricket to improve his batting skills, instead has been made a regular pinch hitter who after a few defensive strokes begins lashing out regardless of line and length. This may have put a halt on his learning progress and he now needs to play far more carefully to retain his place in the team. The percentages were clearly against him and as he has so far failed to 'learn from experience', the tremendous expectations from him are subsiding. Afridi probably introduced the fastest spin delivery the game has seen in recent years. Delivering quick leg spinners with an occasional even quicker one, he surprised and beat many batsmen through his unorthodox bowling. But with exposure, batsmen have now got used to him and fewer wickets fall Afridi's way. Never a significant turner or flighter of the ball, he has now just become a run stopper in the middle of the innings rather than a wicket taker. Shahid Khan Afridi's extravagant bowling avg. (+45) and higher than average economy rate, coupled with his ever falling batting scores have begun to raise doubts and do not reflect the initial promise shown by this hugely popular youngster.
Career Statistics:
TESTS
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
11 20 1 594 141 31.26 68.67 1 3 7 -
Bowling
O M R W Ave Best 5 10 SR Econ
197.5 41 584 20 29.20 5-52 1 - 59.3 2.95
ODIs
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
120 116 4 2673 109 23.86 2 14 44 -
Bowling
O M R W Ave Best 4w 5w SR Econ
731.2 19 3450 78 44.23 5-40 - 1 56.2 4.71
Saed Anwar
One half of Pakistan`s dynamic opening batting pair, Saeed Anwar`s skills in roughing up the new ball very fast have sealed the fate of many limited overs matches early in the innings. A very clean striker of the ball, Saeed is good on both sides of the wicket and seems to possess all the glory of the traditional left hander. After being in and out of the Pakistan team early in his career, Saeed is now a key member of Pakistan`s top order. After scoring three consecutive centuries in Sharjah, Saeed never looked back and has now 19 centuries to his name. Saeed also has the record of the highest runs scored by any batsman in an ODI . Although always a prolific limited overs run getter, Saeed`s Test career started off unconvincingly. He has managed to get over the initial glitches and has now developed his Test temperament immensely. He is recognized as one of the best batsmen in present day cricket.
Career Statistics
TESTS
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
52 86 2 3890 188* 46.30 10 25 18 -
ODIs
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
213 210 16 7638 194 39.37 19 34 39 -
Bowling
O M R W Ave Best 4w 5w SR Econ
36.2 3 176 5 35.20 2-9 - - 43.6 4.84
Wasim Akram
With all apologies to Alan Davdison, Wasim Akram is the greatest left arm pace bowler of all time. His achievements in both forms of the game are unmatched. In the early days, Wasim was an out and out quick bowler. Over the years, he has added much variety to his bowling and become one of the most feared and respected opponents.
Few bowlers can disguise deliveries as well as Akram. His ability to move the ball both ways off the seam is almost legendary. The two deliveries that he bowled (to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis) in the 1992 World Cup final are now part of cricketing lore. Seldom has one man dominated a final the way Akram did in 1992.
As a batsman, Akram has never realised his true potential. In the final analysis, that might go against him and prevent him being bracketed alongside the likes of Sobers, Botham, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan.
He has enjoyed much success as captain but internal wrangling and skirmishes with the establishment have resulted in his being replaced at the helm.
Now in the twilight of his career, he has his eyes trained on replacing Courtney Walsh as the leading wicket taker in Test matches. His record of over 400 wickets in limited overs matches is unlikely ever to be broken.
Career Statistics
TESTS
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
100 143 18 2815 257* 22.52 3 7 43 -
Bowling Overs M Runs Wkts Ave Best 5W 10W SR Econ
3662.3 848 9478 409 23.17 7-119 25 5 53.7 2.58
ODIs
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Avg 100 50 Ct St
311 244 43 3258 86 16.21 0 6 87 15
Bowling
Overs M Runs Wkts Avg Best 5w 4w SR ER
2659.5 208 10266 431 23.82 5-15 5 16 37.03 3.86
Waqar Younis
"The Burewala Express," named so after his hometown in central Punjab, Waqar Younis has brought back the danger, the fear, and the devastation into fast bowling that was associated with greats like Marshall, Holding, Imran and Lillie at the peak of their careers. After an innocuous performance in his debut against India at home in 1989, Waqar stormed onto the international scene in 1990, with his amazing feats at the dull Sharjah wicket, and has since then, when fully fit, been possibly the most feared bowler in recent history. Waqar`s career has been interrupted by a recurring back problem, which caused him to miss the 1992 World Cup, and most of the 1995 cricketing year. Despite this, Waqar holds the record for reaching 200 wickets in the least number of Tests jointly with Dennis Lillie. Waqar specializes in moving the old ball a long way both into and away from the batsman. His inswinging yorkers have been referred to as "toe-crushers," to the validity of which many batsmen can testify.
Career Statistics
TESTS
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
68 92 19 746 45 10.21 - - 11 -
Bowling O M R W Ave Best 5W 10W SR Econ
2203 427 7045 313 22.50 7-76 21 5 42.2 3.19
ODIs
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
199 105 36 738 37 10.69 - - 23 -
Bowling
O M R W Ave Best 4w 5w SR Econ
1636.2 109 7497 316 23.72 6-26 12 10 31.0 4.58
Saqlain Mushtaq
One of the finest off spinners in the game today,
Saqlain's strike rate in one day cricket is the envy
of most bowlers. He is very much in the mould of the
classical offie in that he likes to give the ball some
air and give it a real tweak as opposed to just pushing
it through as has become the norm of late.
He has been one of the few spinners to succeed on all
kinds of pitches and has played crucial role, with
Warne, Kumble and Murali, in reviving the art of spin
bowling.
Saqlain is also a very confident bowler, not easily
perturbed by batsmen giving him the charge. He has
enough faith in his bag of tricks to know that he will,
most likely, have the last laugh.
Career Statistics
TESTS
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
31 49 11 565 79 14.86 - 2 12 -
Bowling
O M R W Ave Best 5W 10W SR Econ
1557 383 3960 134 29.55 8-164 11 2 69.7 2.54
ODIs
Batting
M I NO Runs HS Avg 100 50 Ct St
128 75 26 611 37* 12.47 0 0 21 0
Bowling
Overs M Runs Wkts Avg Best 5w 4w SR ER
1117.5 53 4738 237 19.99 5-20 6 9 28.30 4.24
Inzamam-ul-Haq
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.
Career Statistics
TESTS Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
70 116 12 4807 200* 46.22 12 29 57 -
ODIs Batting
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
234 221 32 7549 137* 39.94 7 56 70 -
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