Pakistan's Greats

I've decided to compare the great Pakistani batsman of all time. They have to have an average of atleast 40 and played 20 tests atleast.
Here are the stats:

Zaheer Abbas - Avg: 44.79 , 12 centuries

Inzamam - Avg: 51.56 , 25 centuries

Javed Miandad - Avg: 52.57 , 23 centuries

Mohammad Yousaf - Avg: 50.75 , 16 centuries

Hanif Mohammad - Avg: 43.98, 12 centuries

Younis Khan - Avg: 47.21 , 11 centuries

Saeed Anwar - Avg: 45.52, 11 centuries

Saleem Malik - Avg: 43.69 , 15 centuries

Shoaib Mohammad - Avg: 44.34 , 7 centuries.

Taufeeq Umar - Avg: 40.74 , 4 centuries

Those are our greatest batsman - am I missing anyone?

Inzi and Javed leading the way, Javed averaging 52 with 23 centuries, Inzi 51 with 25 centuries.

Then come Mohammad Yousaf, Younis Khan, and the rest.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated,

Majid Khan, Saleem Malik

some would say that Asif Iqbal also deserves a mention

Saeed Anwar

Majid Khan and Asif Iqbal average in the 30's.

Don't think they deserve to be in this list.

if you are going purely by their averages then Asim Kamal averages in the high 40s

but any pundit will tell you that he is no where near in skill and craftsmanship to Asif or Majid

any ways Imran averaged around 45 in his last 60 tests or so
and Shoaib Mohammad might be missing from this list

No Majid, Shoaib Mohammed, Saeed Ahmed, Asif Iqbal, Sadiq Mohammed

ijaz ahmad anyone?

Never liked..got out the most bizzar ways you can think of

but when on song, was a treat to watch.........esp against india and aus...........might not have the best looking stance or batting technique but was mighty effective

i agree with that one got out and ended up in akward angles

i think Ijaz Ahmed has the highest number of test centuries for Pakistan out side subcontinent
so it tells ou about his effectiveness against pace bowling

Majid averaged 45 through most of the 70's.

But his overall average was under 40, and it has to be atleast 40 to fit in my criteria.

Majid in the 30's, Iqbal in the 30's, Anwar in the list, and the two Mohammad's will be added shortly.

Kamal averages 37.

Sadiq Mohammad averages 35.

Doesn't fit in my list.

Taufeeq Umar averages 40.73...

Thanks.

Will add him to the list.

Ijaz Ahmed must be somewhere close to that list

After all he did make 6 out of his 12 test centuries against Australia!!!

But he averaged under 40, part of my criteria.

Judging a batsmen purely on his average is a major folly. Somewhere along the track you must consider the context of innings that he played

Besides he was close to 40, he averaged 37ish I think

GREAT is a term that is really being overused in this thread.

Im a huge Younis Khan fan - but is he a Pak great? No way. Taufeeq Umar? What a joke - whats a current GREAT doing in the wilderness since 2004?

Pak has a lot of excellent bastman.

But only a handful of GREAT batsman - like Miandad, Inzi, Zaheer.

Also, the benchmark for GREAT has change in the last 10 years. Its was accepted that an average of 40+ was a sign of a great batsman (unlimited bouncers/per over; bowler friendly pitches; lighter bats-a lot difficult to score in those days) - but now we have new standard whereby we have batsman friendly pitches and regulations that render fast bowlers impotent - heavier bats; floodlights when it gets murky and Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to boost those averages!!!

You name it - its in the batsmans favour.

An average of 50+ is a sign of an excellent player today.

I am still in shock at seeing Taufeeq Umars name in that list!!

The criteria being used in this thread is an average of 40. Therefore, I suggested Taufeeqs name to prove how simply going by an average of a player is a mistake in determining their ability. Taufeeq is absolutely no where near a great of Pakistan cricket.

If we are talking about 'greats' of the game then the list should only include:

Miandad
Inzamam
Zaheer Abbas
Hanif Mohammad
Saeed Anwar

Now there is an argument for adding Ijaz Ahmed on that list, simply because he had a very good record against Australia which was probably the best bowling lineup in the world at that time in the 90s. SO hes name could go either way. As far as I'm concerned YK, Mo. Yousuf dont deserve a name in that list just yet. Maybe in a few years time, but not quite now.

Ironically, according to Wisden, the best innings played by a Pak in Test history is by someone who cannot by any stretch of imagination make it to this club. Azhar Mahmood's stunning assault coming in at Number 8 against SA in Durban' 98 when he clubbed them for 132 with Pak in a precaroious position and only tail-enders to assist him, happens to be the 7th greatest knock ever according to Wisden, sitting together with Laxman's 281. I'm not sure how far back did they go in assessing innings and performances, but the best knock was the 154* by Gooch V WI in early 80s..

Also, Hanif's mammoth 337 in Bridgetown' 57, spanning 16 hours at the crease, has to be one of the greatest batting knocks ever.

farhad, any idea where one can see the complete list of wisden's greatest knocks?

click here for the list

A correction or two.......

Bradman's 270 is ranked the top innings rather. Azhar's 132 makes it to Number 8 in the all-time list. And no surprise in that Lara features twice in the top 10 innings as does the Don.

Funny how Tendulkar doesn't even make the top 100 and Lara is twice in the top 10

Well, Wisden's response is clear-cut. Something Gavaskar also mentioned and asserted to many pujarees' chagrin a few years ago......."There is no omission (of Tendulkar) as such. He has not yet scored an innings that merits inclusion in the top 100"

Botham's 149* in the context of the game = the best

/not biased

At this rate, Tendulkar will never get there

I still don't get how Tendulkar's 2nd innings at Bombay (06) didnt make it into the top ten. A disgrace to cricket that makes a joke out of the Wisden list.

Maybe the Wisden selectors were actually pretty sane and not worshipping demi god Tendi ....

i'm pretty surprised Sachin's 155* against Chennai against Australia on a square turner isn't on the list

Saw that one LIVE (on TV)

That innings was awesome though, never offered a chance to the opposition and some lovely shots, saved the match for his country. At the end of the day getting out bat pad to Shaun Udal is nothing to be ashamed of, he couldnt have got out to a better bowler.

sachin against chennai? ;)

go home

I'm pretty sure it isn't!

You Forgot... Imran Khan

Poor Pujari became incoherent there at seeing the demi-god's name absent!

Square turner, rectangular-turner, octagonal turner.....what bulls......the bottom line is, it wasn't good enough to warrant a place there even in the Top 100. end of story.

THIS thread is about "Pakistan's greats".. not "India's so great cant even win a test series abroad" .... maybe a few indian punks here should keep that in mind?

Hmmmm.....I wonder whether Wisden factored in Lillie's brash acknowledgement later that he and Rodney Marsh had put money on Australians mid-way through the Test to lose, when the odds were so much for their win.

Stop it! You have me in stitches!