Mushtaq Ahmed

Mushtaq Ahmed
Personal information
Full name Mushtaq Ahmed
Born 28 June 1970 (1970-06-28) (age 41)
Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
Nickname "Mushy","Mush"
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Right arm leg break
Role Bowler
International information
National side Pakistan
Test debut (cap 116) 19 January 1990 v Australia
Last Test 24 October 2003 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 69) 23 March 1989 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI 3 October 2003 v South Africa
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 52 144 303 380
Runs scored 656 399 5059 1624
Batting average 11.71 9.50 15.66 11.27
100s/50s 0/2 0/0 0/20 0/0
Top score 59 34* 90* 41
Balls bowled 12532 7543 69402 18913
Wickets 185 161 1388 461
Bowling average 32.97 33.29 25.46 28.47
5 wickets in innings 10 1 103 4
10 wickets in match 3 32
Best bowling 7/56 5/36 9/48 7/24
Catches/stumpings 23/– 30/– 118/– 59/–
Source: Cricinfo, 5 April 2008

Mushtaq Ahmed (Urdu: مشتاق احمد) (born 28 June 1970) is a retired Pakistani cricketer who specialised as a leg spin bowler. He was known for his hard-to-pick googly. He memorably trapped Graeme Hick in front with one during the 1992 World Cup final. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997. Nevertheless, despite taking over 150 One Day International and Test wickets, he hasn't played international cricket since October 2003. He is now the spin bowling coach for the England Cricket Team.

However, he has played a lot of county cricket in England, including for Somerset and Surrey earlier in his career and more recently for Sussex.

In 2003, Mushtaq was the leading wicket taker in county cricket, finishing the season with 103 and inspiring Sussex to its first County Championship title. Following this, he was recalled by Pakistan but was soon dropped for being ineffective. In the 2004 season, Mushtaq was again the leading wicket taker in English county cricket with 84 scalps, but with Danish Kaneria's emergence as Pakistan's first-choice leg spinner, Mushtaq's international career was over.

In December 2006, the PCB appointed Mushtaq as assistant coach of the Pakistan team.[1] He acted as interim coach for team's final game of the 2007 World Cup following the death of Bob Woolmer.[2]

In 2006, Mushtaq (or "Mushy" as he is best known to Sussex fans) took 102 wickets as Sussex once more won the County Championship, as well as the C&G Trophy. He began the last Championship match of the season, against Nottinghamshire, on 89 wickets, but a haul of 13 in the match (including a career-best 9-48 in the second innings) took him past the hundred mark once again.

In 2007, Sussex won the County Championship for the second time in two years, again helped greatly by Mushtaq, who took 90 wickets.

Domestic career

Mushtaq Ahmed had an amazing turn of fortune in 2002 when he was given a trial by Sussex County Cricket Club. He became the leading county wicket taker for four seasons in a row, playing a major role in Sussex's first ever county championship title.

On the 27 August 2008, it was announced by Sussex that Mushtaq was to retire from county cricket due to persistent knee trouble that had prevented him playing regularly during the 2008 season.[3] He announced his intention to continue playing for Indian Cricket League (ICL) side Lahore Badshahs and in an interview with PakPassion.Net in September 2008, he wished that ICL would co-exist with IPL as well as mentioning his intention to begin coaching either in UK or Pakistan.[4]

Recent County Performances
Year Wickets Average 5/10 wicket hauls
2003 103 24.65 10/5
2004 82 27.14 6/2
2005 80 26.73 4/1
2006 102 19.91 11/4
2007 90 25.66 8/3

References

  1. ^ Mushtaq reappointed as assistant coach. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-24.
  2. ^ Woolmer post-mortem inconclusive. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-24.
  3. ^ Injury forces Mushtaq to retire, BBC Sport, Retrieved 27 August 2008
  4. ^ Mushtaq Calls For Harmony, Yahoo/Eurosport, Retrieved 02 September 2008

External links