Asif Iqbal (Pakistani cricketer)

For the cricketer who plays for the UAE, see Asif Iqbal (Emirati cricketer).

Asif Iqbal

Personal information
Full name	Asif Iqbal Razvi
Born	(1943-06-06) 6 June 1943 Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British India
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	All-rounder
Relations	Shammi Iqbal (son)
International information
National side	Pakistan (1964–1980)
Test debut (cap 42)	24 October 1964 v Australia
Last Test	29 January 1980 v India
ODI debut (cap 1)	11 February 1973 v New Zealand
Last ODI	20 June 1979 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1959–1961	Hyderabad
1961–1969	Karachi
1964–1980	Pakistan International Airlines
1968–1982	Kent
1976–1977	National Bank of Pakistan
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 58 10 440 259 Runs scored 3,575 330 23,329 5,989 Batting average 38.85 55.00 37.26 27.98 100s/50s 11/12 0/5 45/118 3/33 Top score 175 62 196 106 Balls bowled 3,864 592 18,899 5,017 Wickets 53 16 291 126 Bowling average 28.33 23.62 30.30 25.96 5 wickets in innings 2 0 5 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 5/48 4/56 6/45 5/42 Catches/stumpings 36/– 7/– 301/– 101/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 8 March 2013

Asif Iqbal Razvi (Urdu: آصف اقبال رضوی, born 6 June 1943) is a Pakistani former professional cricketer who captained the Pakistan national cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. He went on to become a match referee.

Born in Hyderabad, Asif Iqbal is related to former India captain Ghulam Ahmed and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. He played as an all-rounder who batted right-handed and bowled right-arm medium pace deliveries.

Asif played domestically for Hyderabad, Karachi, Kent, National Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan International Airlines. After learning his cricket in Hyderabad, India, he emigrated to Pakistan in 1961, where he opened the bowling with swing bowling before concentrating on his batting that was noted for its footwork and cavalier cover-driving. In 1977, he played in World Series Cricket competition for the World XI side.

On his Test match debut, against Australia in Karachi in the 1964–1965 series, Asif batted at number 10. After developing back problems, Asif began to focus on his batting and gradually worked his way up Pakistan's batting order.

In the series against England in 1967, Asif scored his maiden Test century, making 146 runs batting at number 9 at The Oval, sharing in a then Test record partnership for the ninth wicket with Intikhab Alam. This was also the then highest score by a number 9 batsman in Test matches in England (until exceeded by Stuart Broad in 2010). According to Wisden, when he reached his hundred: "An amazing scene followed. Hundreds of Pakistanis raced to the wicket and hoisted Asif shoulder high. The game was held up for five minutes and when a squad of police rescued him, the poor fellow was bruised and battered". In 1968 he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year and captained Pakistan at the 1975 and 1979 Cricket World Cups, leading the team to the semi-finals in 1979. At Test level, he captained Pakistan team in a six Test series against India in 1979/80 before retiring from Test cricket after 58 matches.

With Kent he was part of a successful side which won both the County Championship and the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1978, and the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1973 and 1976, Asif winning the man of the match award for an all-round performance in the 1973 final. He was also man of the match, although appearing on the losing side, in the Gillette Cup final of 1971.

External links

• Asif Iqbal at ESPNcricinfo