Pakistan’s top batsmen (Part 1)
Pakistan is widely known for its producing legendary fast bowlers. No other country has produced a pace battery better than http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755. In addition, it is not only the bowlers from the country, who are at the top of the podium, but the country has some other heroes to be proud of, as well.
Pakistan has produced some of the top notch batsman of the world. The country should be proud about what they have achieved throughout their careers for the nation of passionate fans.
There are many great batsmen, who have won laurels for Pakistan cricket. Namely, Hanif Mohammad, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Inzamam-ul-Haq-c64383, and Saeed Anwer, have made their name in the history of cricket.
Hanif Mohammad
Hanif was the country’s first great batsman, probably the greatest batsman Pakistan has ever produced. He could play shots all-around the park. A solid batsman with one of the best defensive techniques you will ever see. His ability to play long innings, and great powers of concentration earned him the name, “Little Master”.
His Test credentials are beyond impressive, considering the fact that he played as an opener in the team in conditions that were not favourable to batsman.
Overall, He has played 55 Test matches and has scored 3915 runs at a very impressive average of 44 with the best of 337. His tally of runs includes 12 Test centuries with a triple, and a double hundred.
In Pakistan, on matting wickets, the batting was quite difficult as the ball used to zip and cut a long way. The Little Master had all the answers to counter the prodigious movement on the artificial wickets of Pakistan.
At home, he appeared in 24 Test matches and amassed significant numbers of 1613 runs at an average of 46 with the best of 203. His numbers includes 7 Test centuries with a double hundred.
Outside Pakistan, he had the technique to counter difficult bowling conditions and quality bowling attacks. As a result, he has scored centuries in all the touring countries he has played in.
The Little Master featured in 31 away Test matches. In these 31 Test matches he has gathered 2302 runs at an impressive average of 42 with the best of 337.
Hanif recorded the longest innings in the history of Test cricket. In 1958 in the first Test of the series between Pakistan and West Indies at Barbados, the home team posted a mammoth total of 579/9 in the first innings. Pakistan in pursuit, crumbled to 106 all out in their first innings. Following on, the Little Master took the responsibility to bat through the innings for a long period of time. As a result, he played the longest innings of 337 runs that lasted 970 minutes that helped Pakistan to draw. It is still the highest individual scored by a touring batsman.
Moreover, Hanif who was known for his defensive instincts could attack as well. He originated the reverse sweep. In 1967 in England, at Lord’s, in the first Test of the series between England and Pakistan he really showed his attacking nature by scoring a brilliant un-beaten 187.
John Snow was bowling short stuff as he thought Hanif’s reflexes had died a bit as he had grown older. But the Little Master didn’t evade the short pitch bowling, rather, he pulled every short delivery that came his way.
Hanif did set the standard of batting for his modern counterparts like, Zaheer Abbas and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760, where it bounces and moves a bit more than Pakistan.
.
Tags: