Personal information | ||||
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Born | 19 February 1985 Lahore, Pakistan |
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Batting style | Right-hand bat | |||
Bowling style | Leg-break | |||
Role | Batsman | |||
International information | ||||
National side | Pakistan | |||
Test debut (cap 199) | 13th July 2010 v Australia | |||
Last Test | 5th Sep 2011 v Zimbabwe | |||
ODI debut | 30th May 2011 v Ireland | |||
Career statistics | ||||
Competition | Test | LA | FC | |
Matches | 18 | 60 | 55 | |
Runs scored | 1260 | 1667 | 3,058 | |
Batting average | 42.00 | 46.30 | 39.20 | |
100s/50s | 1/10 | 4/11 | 11/11 | |
Top score | 100 | 119 | 153* | |
Balls bowled | – | 1318 | 996 | |
Wickets | – | 35 | 18 | |
Bowling average | – | 4.99 | 35.00 | |
5 wickets in innings | – | 0 | 0 | |
10 wickets in match | – | 0 | 0 | |
Best bowling | – | 0 | 4/34 | |
Catches/stumpings | 14/– | 17/– | 50/– | |
Source: Cricinfo, 31 December 2011 |
Azhar Ali (Urdu: اظہر علی, born February 19, 1985 in Lahore, Punjab) is a Pakistani international cricketer [1]
He made his Test debut for Pakistan against Australia in the first Test at Lord's in July 2010. Azhar is one of the few Pakistani cricketers (after the introduction of ODI) to play a test before ODI.
He is a right-hand batsman and an occasional leg-break bowler who has played for Lahore, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Abbottabad, Khan Research Laboratories, Punjab and Huntly (Scotland) during his career.[2]
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Following the exclusion of middle-order stalwarts Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf from the Pakistani team in 2010, Ali was drafted into the lineup for the Test series against Australia and England in July 2010. He made his debut against Australia in July, along with Umar Amin; Azhar scored 17 runs in his debut innings before he was caught behind by Tim Paine. In the second innings, he scored 42 as Pakistan lost the match by 150 runs.[3] In the second Test match against Australia, he scored 30 runs in the first innings, followed by his maiden half century in the second as Pakistan recorded their first Test victory over the Australians in fifteen years.[4] He struggled in the first two Tests against England, recording a 32-ball duck during a the second match as Pakistan were bundled out for 72. Following these disastrous collapses Mohammad Yousuf was recalled to the squad and Amin lost his place, but Azhar was given another opportunity and found his feet in the third Test, scoring an unbeaten 92.
Ali retained his place in the Test squad for the series against South Africa in November. He scored half centuries in both innings of the first Test, and helped Pakistan, chasing an improbable 451, avoid defeat with a crucial fourth-innings partnership with the returning Younus Khan. He top-scored with 90 in the first innings of the second Test, before producing another solid performance alongside captain Misbah-ul-Haq in the second innings, finishing unbeaten after facing 135 deliveries to secure another draw.
Following consistent performances against South Africa backed up with experience against England and Australia the selectors picked Ali for the two-match test series against New Zealand in January 2011, also young Pakistan batsman Asad Shafiq was given a place alongside Ali.[5] In the first innings of the first match Ali only managed 18 and wasn't required to bat in the following innings as Pakistan won by 10-wickets. During the second match of the series Azhar was on 62* at Stumps registering his sixth half-century in the process.