Mohammad Yousuf
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Yousuf is a Pakistan
i right-handed batsman. He is best known in cricket for his achievement in 2006 when he broke the world record for most Test
runs in a single calendar year. Prior to his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was one of only a few Christians
to play for the Pakistan cricket team.
Yousuf was effectively banned from playing international cricket for Pakistan, for an indefinite period by the Pakistan Cricket Board
on 10 March 2010, following an inquiry into the team's defeat during the tour of Australia
. An official statement was released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, saying that he would not be selected again on the grounds of inciting infighting within the team.
On 29 March 2010, Yousuf announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, a direct reaction of the indefinite ban handed out to him by PCB. However following Pakistan's disastrous first Test against England in July/August 2010, PCB decided to ask Yousuf to come out of retirement.
and One Day International debut against Zimbabwe
at Harare
. He has scored over 9,000 One Day International runs at an average above 40 (2nd highest batting average among Pakistani batsmen after Zaheer Abbas
) and over 7,000 Test runs at an average above 50 (highest batting average amongst all Pakistani batsmen) with 24 Test centuries
. He has the record of scoring the most runs without being dismissed in the One Day International match, with a total of 405 runs against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2002–2003. He has also scored a 23-ball fifty and a 68-ball hundred in One Day International. In Test match, he has scored a 27-ball fifty, which is 3rd fastest by any player. He was the top scorer during the successive years of 2002 and 2003 in the world in One Day International match. In 2004, he scored 111 runs against the Australians
in the Boxing Day
Test. In December 2005, he scored 223 runs against England
at Lahore
, also earning him the man of the match award. Seven months later in July 2006, when Pakistan toured England, he scored 202 runs and 48 in the first Test, again earning himself the man of the match award. He followed up with 192 in the third Test at Headingley
and 128 in the final Test at The Oval
.
Yousuf was named CNN-IBN’s Cricketer of the Year for 2006, ahead of the likes of Australian captain Ricky Ponting
, West Indies Brian Lara
, Australian spinner Shane Warne
, South Africa’s bowling spearhead Makhaya Ntini
and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan
. He was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 2007 edition. Yousuf became the fourth recipient of the ICC 'Test Cricketer of the Year' award for 2007, he scored 944 runs at an average of 94.40 including seven centuries and two fifties in just 10 innings and that was enough to be awarded the honour ahead of English batsman Kevin Pietersen
and Australian batsman Ricky Ponting
.
A year that started on a promising note, Yousuf carried it forward to break two world records both held earlier by former West Indian batsman Viv Richards
. The 32-year-old, Pakistani batsman achieved an unparalleled 1788 runs in just 10 Test matches with the help of twelve centuries which became his second world record. Yousuf is known for his ability to score runs at exceptional rate through his great technique and composed strokeplay. Although capable of hitting the ball hard, Yousuf is quick between the wickets, although he is prone to being run out.
Yousuf is a skilful infielder, with a report prepared by Cricinfo
in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup
, he had effected the ninth highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman. He is also distinguished by his characteristic celebration after hitting one hundred runs for his country, where he prostrates in thankfulness to Allah
in the direction of Mecca
. He has observed this act (known as the Sajdah) since his conversion to Islam.
In 2007, after initially signing a contract to join the Indian Cricket League
, Yousuf later refused due to pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board
as he would later face a ban by the board. In return the PCB promised to get him into the Indian premier league
, however, no team bid for him as he faced litigation from the ICL.
In 2008, he once again threatened to join the ICL after the PCB dropped him from their squad. A PCB official was quoted as saying, "We have banned all our cricketers who joined the ICL and if Yousuf also plays for the unauthorised league then he will have to face the same punishment. Yousuf is still our best Test batsman and has a future with the Pakistan team, but not if he joins the ICL." Yousuf decided to join the ICL again to play mid-way though the second season. The Pakistan Cricket Board reacted to the news by banning him from the national team. Yousaf's chances to return to Pakistani cricket improved on 2 February 2009 when a Pakistani court suspended the ban on ICL players.
Pakistan Cricket Board recalled batsman Mohammad Yousuf to the squad for their July 2009 Test series in Sri Lanka. Yousuf ended his association with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) in early May, in the hope of earning a recall for his country. His decision to join the ICL was made because of differences with former captain Shoaib Malik, who has since been replaced by Younus Khan. In July 2009, on his first match after returning to Test Cricket since 2007, Yousuf scored a century to announce his return to cricket.
Yousuf informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that he would not be taking part in the Champions Trophy 2008 because it would coincide with the holy month of Ramadan.
He along with another former Indian Cricket League player Abdul Razzaq were awarded ‘A’ category mid-term central contracts by Pakistan Cricket Board
after they left Indian Cricket League
. A little over one year after being welcomed back by the PCB, Yousuf was made captain of the Test team for the tour of New Zealand after Younus Khan was allowed to take a break.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, on 10 March 2010, banned Yousuf and former captain, Younis Khan
from playing for the national team indefinitely and imposed one-year bans on Shoaib Malik
and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
. Despite receiving the ban Yousuf said that the series against South Africa in late 2010 could be a possibility. Pakistan then toured England in July 2010 and after losing the first test by 354 runs due to a weak batting line-up, the second innings total of 80 being the lowest total by Pakistan against England. Yousuf announced his return to International Cricket and was placed on the squad. He then required a visa which was granted but there was a concern that Yousuf could not come to England in time for that tour.
On 1 August 2010, after Pakistan lost the first Test match against England at Trent Bridge
, Nottingham
, Yousuf was called back in the squad for the rest of the series. He decided not to play the second test because of tiredness. Shortly after the completion of the second test, Pakistani captain, Salman Butt
announced that he expected Yousuf to return for the third test. The selectors decided to play Yousuf in a Tour match against Worcestershire just before the third test so that his form and fitness could be checked Yousuf's form check was positive because on a day inflicted by rain he managed to score 40* Yousuf then scored 56 against England in the 3rd Test before being caught and bowled by Graeme Swann
in the process Yousuf became Swann's 100 casualty in Test cricket the day saw a much improved performance by Pakistan as they were eventually bowled out for 308
In the same tour of England that summer he participated in the Twenty20
series as well. Despite being considered an "old boys cricketer" and having participated in only a sole T20I in 2006 and considered one who does not slog as often (notable by the low amount of sixes he has scored) Yousuf participated and score 26 of 21 deliveries.
His return continued well when he scored 46 in the second ODI against England. He consistently scored during the five-match England series as Pakistan lost 3–2. Yousuf was subsequently selected to play for Pakistan in all three-formats against South Africa in October 2010 he was considered as an option for becoming captain but the captaincy was given Misbah-ul-Haq
Yousuf's batting partner Younis Khan
however still was not selected.
Mohammad Yousuf captained his domestic team the Lahore Lions
to victory in the 2010-11 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup the team defeated the Karachi Dolphins
comfortably in the final. This was also the first time in five-years that the trophy had gone to someone besides the Sialkot Stallions
. Despite his poor fielding skills Yousuf was given the award of fielder of the series. He did however injure is hamstring in training for the series against South Africa in October 2010. Chief Selector Mohsin Khan
elected to withdraw Yousuf from the ODI and Twenty-20 squads but said that he should be ready to lay in the Test match series. Yousuf's replacement in the limited-overs squad was Younus Khan who had successfully reconciled with the Pakistan Cricket Board. He managed to regain his fitness and participated in the two-match test series against South Africa Also he managed to regain his fitness quick enough to participate in the final ODI of the five-match series. Yousuf wore a shirt which had his name written on in ink which was against regulations. The match-referee called him and Yousuf stated that because he came for the test series he did not bring coloured clothing because he did not think that he would play. Subsequently the ICC cleared him of any wrongdoing Minutes before the toss in the first Test match Yousuf picked up a groin injury. The injury took two weeks to heal and subsequently Yousuf missed the two-match test series Amid his recent spat of injuries former Pakistan captain Moin Khan
suggested that Yousuf should retire from ODI's and T20's and focus on Tests only due to age and consistent injuries
The following tables illustrate a summary of the Test and ODI centuries scored by Mohammad Yousuf.
, Muttiah Muralitharan
and Yousuf. Yousuf scored 1788 runs at an average of 99.88 in 2006 and broke two of Viv Richards
's world records.
(T20) matches against England during 2006–10.
Man of the Match Awards (Tests):
Man of the Match Awards (ODIs):
.
Yousuf
, hailing from poor background, was plucked from the obscurity of a tailor's shop in the slums of the eastern city of Lahore to play a local match in the 1990s. His well-crafted shots attracted attention and he rose through the ranks to become one of Pakistan's best batsman. He was set to work at a tailor's when he was pulled back A local club was short of players. They called him to make up numbers and made a hundred which led to a season in the Bradford Cricket League
, with Bowling Old Lane, and a path back into the game.
, Antao D'Souza
and the Anglo-Pakistani Duncan Sharpe
. He also has the distinction of being the first and so far only Non-Muslim to captain the country, leading the team in the 2004–05 tour of Australia where he scored a century in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. He converted to Islam after attending regular preaching sessions of the Tablighi Jamaat
, Pakistan's largest non-political religious grouping, whose preachers include Yousuf's former team-mate Saeed Anwar
and his brother. His wife Tania converted along with him and adopted the Islamic name Fatima. However the news was kept private for three months due to family reasons, before his announcement of their conversion publicly in September 2005. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_19-9-2005_pg1_6 "I don't want to give Yousuf my name after what he has done," his mother was quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper. "We came to know about his decision when he offered Friday Prayers at a local mosque. It was a shock," his mother was reported as saying. However, Yousuf told the BBC
that "I cannot tell you what a great feeling it is." As part of his conversion, Yousuf officially changed his name from Yousuf Youhana to Mohammad Yousuf.
Former Pakistan cricketer and sports commentator Rameez Raja
, who himself is Muslim, acknowledged the significance of Yousuf's new faith, "Religion has played an integral part in his growth not just as a cricketer but as a person."
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i right-handed batsman. He is best known in cricket for his achievement in 2006 when he broke the world record for most Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
runs in a single calendar year. Prior to his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was one of only a few Christians
Christianity in Pakistan
Christianity is the largest religious minority in Pakistan. The total number of Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 in 2008, or 1.6% of the population. Of these, approximately half are Roman Catholic and half Protestant...
to play for the Pakistan cricket team.
Yousuf was effectively banned from playing international cricket for Pakistan, for an indefinite period by the Pakistan Cricket Board
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
on 10 March 2010, following an inquiry into the team's defeat during the tour of Australia
Pakistani cricket team in Australia in 2009–10
The Pakistan cricket team toured Australia for a 3-match Test series, a 5-match ODI series, and 1 Twenty20 International from 19 December 2009 to 5 February 2010....
. An official statement was released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, saying that he would not be selected again on the grounds of inciting infighting within the team.
On 29 March 2010, Yousuf announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, a direct reaction of the indefinite ban handed out to him by PCB. However following Pakistan's disastrous first Test against England in July/August 2010, PCB decided to ask Yousuf to come out of retirement.
Career
He made his Test debut against South Africa at DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and One Day International debut against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
at Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. He has scored over 9,000 One Day International runs at an average above 40 (2nd highest batting average among Pakistani batsmen after Zaheer Abbas
Zaheer Abbas
Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
) and over 7,000 Test runs at an average above 50 (highest batting average amongst all Pakistani batsmen) with 24 Test centuries
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
. He has the record of scoring the most runs without being dismissed in the One Day International match, with a total of 405 runs against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2002–2003. He has also scored a 23-ball fifty and a 68-ball hundred in One Day International. In Test match, he has scored a 27-ball fifty, which is 3rd fastest by any player. He was the top scorer during the successive years of 2002 and 2003 in the world in One Day International match. In 2004, he scored 111 runs against the Australians
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in the Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
Test. In December 2005, he scored 223 runs against England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
at Lahore
Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World...
, also earning him the man of the match award. Seven months later in July 2006, when Pakistan toured England, he scored 202 runs and 48 in the first Test, again earning himself the man of the match award. He followed up with 192 in the third Test at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
and 128 in the final Test at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
.
Yousuf was named CNN-IBN’s Cricketer of the Year for 2006, ahead of the likes of Australian captain Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
, West Indies Brian Lara
Brian Lara
Brian Charles Lara, TC, OCC, AM is a former West Indian international cricket player. Lara is generally regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time...
, Australian spinner Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
, South Africa’s bowling spearhead Makhaya Ntini
Makhaya Ntini
Makhaya Ntini is a former South African cricketer who was the first ethnically black player to play for the South African team. A fast bowler, he tends to bowl from wide of the crease with brisk, although not express, pace...
and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
. He was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 2007 edition. Yousuf became the fourth recipient of the ICC 'Test Cricketer of the Year' award for 2007, he scored 944 runs at an average of 94.40 including seven centuries and two fifties in just 10 innings and that was enough to be awarded the honour ahead of English batsman Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Peter Pietersen, MBE is a South African-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who plays for England and Surrey...
and Australian batsman Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
.
A year that started on a promising note, Yousuf carried it forward to break two world records both held earlier by former West Indian batsman Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
. The 32-year-old, Pakistani batsman achieved an unparalleled 1788 runs in just 10 Test matches with the help of twelve centuries which became his second world record. Yousuf is known for his ability to score runs at exceptional rate through his great technique and composed strokeplay. Although capable of hitting the ball hard, Yousuf is quick between the wickets, although he is prone to being run out.
Yousuf is a skilful infielder, with a report prepared by Cricinfo
Cricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup
1999 Cricket World Cup
-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
, he had effected the ninth highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman. He is also distinguished by his characteristic celebration after hitting one hundred runs for his country, where he prostrates in thankfulness to Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
in the direction of Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. He has observed this act (known as the Sajdah) since his conversion to Islam.
In 2007, after initially signing a contract to join the Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
, Yousuf later refused due to pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
as he would later face a ban by the board. In return the PCB promised to get him into the Indian premier league
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
, however, no team bid for him as he faced litigation from the ICL.
In 2008, he once again threatened to join the ICL after the PCB dropped him from their squad. A PCB official was quoted as saying, "We have banned all our cricketers who joined the ICL and if Yousuf also plays for the unauthorised league then he will have to face the same punishment. Yousuf is still our best Test batsman and has a future with the Pakistan team, but not if he joins the ICL." Yousuf decided to join the ICL again to play mid-way though the second season. The Pakistan Cricket Board reacted to the news by banning him from the national team. Yousaf's chances to return to Pakistani cricket improved on 2 February 2009 when a Pakistani court suspended the ban on ICL players.
Pakistan Cricket Board recalled batsman Mohammad Yousuf to the squad for their July 2009 Test series in Sri Lanka. Yousuf ended his association with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) in early May, in the hope of earning a recall for his country. His decision to join the ICL was made because of differences with former captain Shoaib Malik, who has since been replaced by Younus Khan. In July 2009, on his first match after returning to Test Cricket since 2007, Yousuf scored a century to announce his return to cricket.
Yousuf informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that he would not be taking part in the Champions Trophy 2008 because it would coincide with the holy month of Ramadan.
He along with another former Indian Cricket League player Abdul Razzaq were awarded ‘A’ category mid-term central contracts by Pakistan Cricket Board
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
after they left Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
. A little over one year after being welcomed back by the PCB, Yousuf was made captain of the Test team for the tour of New Zealand after Younus Khan was allowed to take a break.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, on 10 March 2010, banned Yousuf and former captain, Younis Khan
Younis Khan
Mohammad Younus Khan is a Pakistani cricketer and former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team. Younus' name is often spelled Younis Khan, but he has been quoted as saying, "My name is Younus Khan...
from playing for the national team indefinitely and imposed one-year bans on Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik is a Pakistani cricket player and former captain. He made his One-Day International debut in 1999 against the West Indies and his Test debut in 2001 against Bangladesh. He has taken over 100 ODI wickets, and has a batting average in the mid 30s in both Test and ODI cricket...
and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan is a cricketer who plays for the Pakistani Test and One Day International teams...
. Despite receiving the ban Yousuf said that the series against South Africa in late 2010 could be a possibility. Pakistan then toured England in July 2010 and after losing the first test by 354 runs due to a weak batting line-up, the second innings total of 80 being the lowest total by Pakistan against England. Yousuf announced his return to International Cricket and was placed on the squad. He then required a visa which was granted but there was a concern that Yousuf could not come to England in time for that tour.
Retirement and subsequent return (2010)
On 29 March 2010, Yousuf announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, just days after the Pakistan Cricket Board imposed an indefinite ban on him. "I received a letter from the PCB that my staying in the team is harmful for the team, so I announce my retirement from international cricket," he said at a press conference in Karachi. On 27 March, Yousuf said that he had decided to retire from international cricket. "Yes, I have decided to retire as Pakistan player and my decision is not an emotional one", Yousuf told press agency AFP, "It's of no use playing if my playing is harmful to the team". He was handed over an indefinite ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board for his disciplinary problems on Pakistan's tour of Australia 2009–2010.On 1 August 2010, after Pakistan lost the first Test match against England at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Yousuf was called back in the squad for the rest of the series. He decided not to play the second test because of tiredness. Shortly after the completion of the second test, Pakistani captain, Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt is a former Pakistani cricketer who was a regular Test and ODI left-handed opening batsman. He made his Test debut on 3 September 2003 in the third Test against Bangladesh, and a year later made his ODI debut against West Indies on 22 September 2004. He was appointed captain of the...
announced that he expected Yousuf to return for the third test. The selectors decided to play Yousuf in a Tour match against Worcestershire just before the third test so that his form and fitness could be checked Yousuf's form check was positive because on a day inflicted by rain he managed to score 40* Yousuf then scored 56 against England in the 3rd Test before being caught and bowled by Graeme Swann
Graeme Swann
Graeme Peter Swann is an English international cricketer. He is primarily a right-arm offspinner, and also bats right-handed. After initially playing for his home county Northamptonshire, for whom he made his debut in 1997, he moved to Nottinghamshire in 2005. He often fields at slip...
in the process Yousuf became Swann's 100 casualty in Test cricket the day saw a much improved performance by Pakistan as they were eventually bowled out for 308
In the same tour of England that summer he participated in the Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
series as well. Despite being considered an "old boys cricketer" and having participated in only a sole T20I in 2006 and considered one who does not slog as often (notable by the low amount of sixes he has scored) Yousuf participated and score 26 of 21 deliveries.
His return continued well when he scored 46 in the second ODI against England. He consistently scored during the five-match England series as Pakistan lost 3–2. Yousuf was subsequently selected to play for Pakistan in all three-formats against South Africa in October 2010 he was considered as an option for becoming captain but the captaincy was given Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah-ul-Haq Khan Niazi is a Pakistani cricketer and the captain of the Pakistan national cricket team for s and s...
Yousuf's batting partner Younis Khan
Younis Khan
Mohammad Younus Khan is a Pakistani cricketer and former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team. Younus' name is often spelled Younis Khan, but he has been quoted as saying, "My name is Younus Khan...
however still was not selected.
Mohammad Yousuf captained his domestic team the Lahore Lions
Lahore Lions
The Lahore Lions are a Twenty-20 Cup team based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The team was established in 2004 and its home ground is Gaddafi Stadium. The team is one of several proposed franchises for the Pakistan Super League. The team has won 2010-11 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup under the captaincy...
to victory in the 2010-11 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup the team defeated the Karachi Dolphins
Karachi Dolphins
The Karachi Dolphins is a cricket team based in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan that plays in the Pakistan Twenty20 Cup. The team is captained by Mohammad Sami and coached by Azam Khan. The National Stadium is the Dolphins' home ground...
comfortably in the final. This was also the first time in five-years that the trophy had gone to someone besides the Sialkot Stallions
Sialkot Stallions
The Sialkot Stallions are a Twenty-20 Cup team, based in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. The team was established in 2004 and its home ground is Jinnah Stadium. The team is one of several proposed franchises for the Pakistan Super League...
. Despite his poor fielding skills Yousuf was given the award of fielder of the series. He did however injure is hamstring in training for the series against South Africa in October 2010. Chief Selector Mohsin Khan
Mohsin Khan
Mohsin Hasan Khan is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 48 Tests and 75 ODIs from 1977 to 1986 mainly as an opening batsman.-Life and Career:...
elected to withdraw Yousuf from the ODI and Twenty-20 squads but said that he should be ready to lay in the Test match series. Yousuf's replacement in the limited-overs squad was Younus Khan who had successfully reconciled with the Pakistan Cricket Board. He managed to regain his fitness and participated in the two-match test series against South Africa Also he managed to regain his fitness quick enough to participate in the final ODI of the five-match series. Yousuf wore a shirt which had his name written on in ink which was against regulations. The match-referee called him and Yousuf stated that because he came for the test series he did not bring coloured clothing because he did not think that he would play. Subsequently the ICC cleared him of any wrongdoing Minutes before the toss in the first Test match Yousuf picked up a groin injury. The injury took two weeks to heal and subsequently Yousuf missed the two-match test series Amid his recent spat of injuries former Pakistan captain Moin Khan
Moin Khan
Mohammad Moin Khan , popularly known as Moin Khan , is a former Pakistani cricketer, primarily a wicketkeeper-batsman, who remained a member of the Pakistani national cricket team from 1990 to 2004. He has also captained the Pakistani side. He made his international debut against the West Indies at...
suggested that Yousuf should retire from ODI's and T20's and focus on Tests only due to age and consistent injuries
Career highlights
- In November 2006, Muhammad yousuf is a world no. 1 player for all times.Yousuf achieved the 10th highest ever figure in ICC's test batting rating. His rating of 933 gave him a personal best of 2nd place in the rankings behind Ricky PontingRicky PontingRicky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
and was the 3rd highest ranking of any current player as well as the highest for any batsmen from Asia.
- Yousuf is the third Pakistani batsmen to surpass 6000 runs in Test cricket, the others being Javed MiandadJaved MiandadMohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...
and Inzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of his era...
.
- He has the second highest Test Match centuries amongst Pakistani batsmen, currently on 24 and only 1 behind Inzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of his era...
.
- With his twin hundreds in the KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
test against West Indies 2006, Mohammad Yousuf became the sixth Pakistani and 30th cricketer in Test cricket to hit a century in each innings of a Test match.
- He is the third highest run scorer in One-Day InternationalOne-day InternationalA One Day International is a form of limited overs cricket, in which a fixed number of overs, usually 50, but in the past 40, 45 or 60 overs, are played between two teams with international status. The Cricket World Cup is played in this format...
s amongst Pakistani batsmen. His average of 44.50 places second out of all Pakistani batsmen, following only Zaheer AbbasZaheer AbbasSyed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
(47.62).
- His Test average of 54.86 currently puts him in 10th spot for Test batting averages for players with more than 50 appearances.
- He has scored a century at International level against all Test playing nations, and also on the shores of all test nations.
The following tables illustrate a summary of the Test and ODI centuries scored by Mohammad Yousuf.
- In the column Runs, *Not outIn cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
indicates being not out. - The column title Match refers to the Match Number of his career.
Test match centuries
| Test Centuries of Mohammad Yousuf | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | |Match | |City/Country | |Year | |||
| [1] | 120* | 7 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
1998 | |
| [2] | 115 | 20 | Bridgetown Bridgetown The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael... , Barbados |
Kensington Oval Kensington Oval The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket... |
2000 | |
| [3] | 103* | 21 | St John's St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda St John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. St John's is located at... , Antigua Antigua Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la... |
Antigua Recreation Ground Antigua Recreation Ground Antigua Recreation Ground is the national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in St. John's, on the island of Antigua. The ground has been used by the West Indies cricket team and Antigua and Barbuda national football team... |
2000 | |
| [4] | 124 | 25 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2000 | |
| [5] | 117 | 27 | Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... , Pakistan |
National Stadium National Stadium, Karachi The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore... |
2000 | |
| [6] | 203 | 29 | Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... , New Zealand |
Jade Stadium Jade Stadium Lancaster Park, formerly Jade Stadium and currently known as AMI Stadium through sponsorship rights, is a sports stadium situated in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand.... |
2001 | |
| [7] | 102* | 33 | Multan Multan Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi... , Pakistan |
Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. Having such a lush green outfield and playing area, the stadium is the most beautiful in the country at the moment. It is primarily used for cricket... |
2001 | |
| [8] | 204* | 35 | Chittagong Chittagong Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading... , Bangladesh |
Chittagong Stadium | 2002 | |
| [9] | 146 | 36 | Sharjah Sharjah (city) Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah... , United Arab Emirates |
Sharjah Stadium | 2002 | |
| [10] | 159 | 41 | Bulawayo Bulawayo Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland... , Zimbabwe |
Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler... |
2002 | |
| [11] | 112 | 49 | Multan Multan Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi... , Pakistan |
Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. Having such a lush green outfield and playing area, the stadium is the most beautiful in the country at the moment. It is primarily used for cricket... |
2004 | |
| [12] | 111 | 55 | Melbourne, Australia | Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light... |
2004 | |
| [13] | 104 | 58 | Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India... , India |
Eden Gardens Eden Gardens Eden Gardens is a cricket ground in Kolkata , India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a Test and One Day International ground. It is the largest cricket stadium in India by seating capacity... |
2005 | |
| [14] | 223 | 62 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2005 | |
| [15] | 173 | 63 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2006 | |
| [16] | 126 | 64 | Faislabad, Pakistan | Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Previous names for the ground include Lyallpur Stadium, National Stadium, and City Stadium. The current name honours Pakistani poet Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Capacity is 25,000. It has hosted 25 Test matches and 14 One Day... |
2006 | |
| [17] | 202 | 67 | London, England | Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the... |
2006 | |
| [18] | 192 | 69 | Leeds Leeds Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... , England |
Headingley Stadium | 2006 | |
| [19] | 128 | 70 | London, England | The BRIT Oval Cricket Ground The Oval The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval... |
2006 | |
| [20] | 192 | 71 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2006 | |
| [21] | 191 | 72 | Multan Multan Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi... , Pakistan |
Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. Having such a lush green outfield and playing area, the stadium is the most beautiful in the country at the moment. It is primarily used for cricket... |
2006 | |
| [22] | 102 | 73 | Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... , Pakistan |
National Stadium National Stadium, Karachi The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore... |
2006 | |
| [23] | 124 | |||||
| [24] | 112 | 80 | Galle Galle Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District.... , Sri Lanka |
Galle Galle Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District.... |
2009 |
One Day International centuries
| ODI Centuries of Mohammad Yousuf | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | |Match | |City/Country | |Year | |||
| [1] | 100 | 10 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
1998 | |
| [2] | 104* | 26 | Toronto, Canada | TCSC Club Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club The Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club is a sporting club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:The club's history dates back to 1827 when the Toronto Cricket Club was established in part by the efforts of George Anthony Barber. Cricket was joined by the Curling Club in 1836, and the Skating... |
1999 | |
| [3] | 100* | 59 | Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... , Bangladesh |
Bangabandhu Stadium | 2000 | |
| [4] | 112* | 91 | Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... , Bangladesh |
Bangabandhu Stadium | 2002 | |
| [5] | 129 | 100 | Sharjah Sharjah (city) Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah... , United Arab Emirates |
Sharjah Stadium | 2002 | |
| [6] | 125 | 101 | Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... , Pakistan |
National Stadium National Stadium, Karachi The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore... |
2002 | |
| [7] | 141* | 112 | Bulawayo Bulawayo Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland... , Zimbabwe |
Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler... |
2002 | |
| [8] | 100* | 114 | Harare Harare Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its... , Zimbabwe |
Harare Sports Club Harare Sports Club Harare Sports Club is a cricket ground in Harare, Zimbabwe. Initially known as Salisbury Sports Club, Harare Sports Club has served as the primary cricket venue in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe since its inception. The ground became a Test venue in October 1992 when Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test,... |
2002 | |
| [9] | 106 | 141 | Faislabad, Pakistan | Iqbal Cricket Stadium Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Previous names for the ground include Lyallpur Stadium, National Stadium, and City Stadium. The current name honours Pakistani poet Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Capacity is 25,000. It has hosted 25 Test matches and 14 One Day... |
2003 | |
| [10] | 107* | 178 | Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... , Pakistan |
National Stadium National Stadium, Karachi The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore... |
2004 | |
| [11] | 105 | 188 | Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... , Australia |
WACA Ground (The WACA) WACA Ground The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association.... |
2005 | |
| [12] | 101* | 230 | Durban Durban Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... , South Africa |
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead | 2007 | |
| [13] | 117 | 244 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2007 | |
| [14] | 108* | 256 | Faisalabad Faisalabad Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has... , Pakistan |
Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Previous names for the ground include Lyallpur Stadium, National Stadium, and City Stadium. The current name honours Pakistani poet Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Capacity is 25,000. It has hosted 25 Test matches and 14 One Day... |
2008 | |
| [15] | 108* | 258 | Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... , Pakistan |
Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2008 |
Test match records in 2006
Statistically, the year 2006 is said to be the year of AustraliaAustralian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
, Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
and Yousuf. Yousuf scored 1788 runs at an average of 99.88 in 2006 and broke two of Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
's world records.
- On 30 November 2006, during the third innings of the final Test between Pakistan and West Indies at Karachi, he surpassed Viv Richards's thirty year old record and became the highest scorer in Test matches during a single calendar year. He also broke Zaheer AbbasZaheer AbbasSyed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
's record for the most runs made by a Pakistani batsman in a three-Test series. Abbas made 583 runs against the visiting Indians in 1978/79.
- Yousuf hit nine test centuries in 2006, which is a world record for most centuries in a calendar year.
- Yousuf also equalled the record held by former Australian batsman Donald BradmanDonald BradmanSir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
, by scoring six centuries in successive Tests – although it took him only four matches compared with Bradman's six.
- After his 191 at Multan he became the first player in Test history to have been dismissed 3 times in the 190s, with all three innings coming in 2006.
Test batting records
| Test career records by opposition | ||||||||||||||
| # | Opponent | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | H/S | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 0 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 622 | 111 | 29.61 | 1160 | 53.62 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 85 | 6 | |
| 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 503 | 204* | 251.50 | 843 | 59.66 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 76 | 3 | |
| 3 | 14 | 24 | 0 | 1499 | 223 | 62.45 | 2864 | 52.33 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 183 | 9 | |
| 4 | 15 | 27 | 2 | 1247 | 173 | 49.88 | 2198 | 56.73 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 169 | 11 | |
| 5 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 747 | 203 | 53.35 | 1634 | 45.71 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 95 | 5 | |
| 6 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 357 | 83 | 29.75 | 586 | 60.92 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 7 | 15 | 26 | 1 | 725 | 112 | 29.00 | 1505 | 48.17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 79 | 8 | |
| 8 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 1214 | 192 | 101.16 | 2321 | 52.30 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 141 | 4 | |
| 9 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 616 | 159 | 68.44 | 1261 | 48.85 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 87 | 2 | |
| Total | 90 | 156 | 12 | 7530 | 223 | 52.29 | 14372 | 52.39 | 24 | 33 | 11 | 957 | 51 | |
ODI batting records
| ODI career records by opposition | ||||||||||||||
| # | Opponent | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | H/S | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 0 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Africa XI Africa XI cricket team The African XI cricket team is a representative team of the continent of Africa and represents it during the Afro-Asia Cup.-History:The African cricket team originated when Jagmohan Dalmiya thought up the Afro-Asian Cup, which was to raise money for both the African Cricket Association and the... |
6 | 5 | 0 | 162 | 66 | 32.40 | 184 | 88.04 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2 | 29 | 29 | 2 | 1016 | 100 | 37.62 | 1421 | 71.49 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 89 | 8 | |
| 3 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 893 | 112* | 89.30 | 1034 | 86.36 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 10 | |
| 4 | 26 | 24 | 4 | 772 | 81 | 38.60 | 1277 | 60.45 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 47 | 2 | |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 28.00 | 28 | 100.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 6 | ICC World XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4.00 | 5 | 80.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 44 | 42 | 5 | 1430 | 100* | 38.64 | 1728 | 82.75 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 116 | 15 | |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 15.00 | 31 | 48.38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 18.00 | 17 | 105.88 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 43 | 43.00 | 55 | 78.18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 58 | 58.00 | 59 | 98.30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 12 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 906 | 125 | 36.24 | 1199 | 75.56 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 89 | 8 | |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 164 | 83* | 164.00 | 232 | 70.68 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| 14 | 34 | 34 | 2 | 1116 | 117 | 34.87 | 1539 | 72.51 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 92 | 7 | |
| 15 | 43 | 42 | 4 | 1284 | 129 | 33.78 | 19.18 | 66.94 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 94 | 13 | |
| 16 | 25 | 24 | 5 | 778 | 105 | 40.94 | 1022 | 76.12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 55 | 5 | |
| 17 | 24 | 22 | 8 | 1033 | 141* | 73.78 | 1193 | 86.58 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 79 | 19 | |
| Total | 288 | 273 | 40 | 9720 | 141* | 41.71 | 12942 | 75.10 | 15 | 64 | 15 | 785 | 90 | |
T20 batting records
Mohammad Yousuf played only three Twenty20Twenty20 International
A Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...
(T20) matches against England during 2006–10.
| T20 career records by opposition | ||||||||||||||
| # | Opponent | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | H/S | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 0 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 26 | 16.66 | 43 | 116.27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 26 | 16.66 | 43 | 116.27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
Player of the Series Awards(Tests)
| S No | Series (Opponents) | Season | Series Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England in Pakistan Test Series | 2000/01 | 342 Runs (3 Matches & 4 Innings, 2x100, 1x50); 8 Catches |
| 2 | Pakistan in England Test Series | 2006 | 631 Runs (4 Matches & 7 Innings, 1x200, 1x100 0x50); 1 Catch |
| 3 | West Indies in Pakistan Test Series | 2006/07 | 665 Runs (3 Matches & 5 Innings, 4x100, 1x50); 1 Catch |
Man of the Match Awards (Tests):
| S No | Opponent | Venue | Season | Match Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lahore Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
1998 | 120* (206b, 15x4, 1x6); 1 Catch. | |
| 2 | Chittagong | 2002 | 204* (243b, 34x4, 2x6); 1 Catch | |
| 3 | Bulawayo Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler... |
2002 | 159 (282b, 21x4, 0x6); & 2 Catch | |
| 4 | Lahore Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2005 | 223 (373b, 26x4, 2x6); 2 Catches | |
| 5 | London Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the... |
2006 | 202 (330b, 26x4, 1x6) & 48 (62b, 8x4, 0x6); 1 Catch, 1 Run out | |
| 6 | Multan Multan Cricket Stadium Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. Having such a lush green outfield and playing area, the stadium is the most beautiful in the country at the moment. It is primarily used for cricket... |
2006 | 56 (117b, 3x4, 1x6); & 191 (344b, 22x4, 0x6) | |
| 7 | Karachi National Stadium, Karachi The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore... |
2006 | 102 (158b, 15x4, 0x6) & 124 (195b, 15x4, 0x6); 1 Run out |
Man of the Series Awards(ODIs)
| S No | Series (Opponents) | Season | Series Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh in Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... 2000 Asia Cup 2000 Asia Cup India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh took part in the eighth edition of the Asia Cup for cricket, which was held in Bangladesh between May-Jun, 2000. Pakistan won the tournament beating Sri Lanka by 39 runs in the final. All the games were played at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium... |
2000/01 | 295 Runs (4 Matches & 4 Innings, Bat Ave 147.50, 1x100, 2x50); 1 Catch |
| 2 | Pakistan in Zimbabwe ODI Series | 2002/03 | 405 Runs (5 Matches & 4 Innings, Bat Ave. 405.00, 2x100 2x50); 0 Catches |
| 3 | South Africa in Pakistan ODI Series | 2007 | 285 Runs (5 Matches & 5 Innings, Bat Ave. 71.50, 1x100, 3x50); 0 Catches |
Man of the Match Awards (ODIs):
| S No | Opponent | Venue | Season | Match Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chester-le-Street Riverside Ground The Riverside Ground, officially called the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground, is a cricket venue in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England. It is home to Durham County Cricket Club.... |
1999 | 81* (119b, 6x4, 0x6) | |
| 2 | Toronto Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club The Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club is a sporting club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:The club's history dates back to 1827 when the Toronto Cricket Club was established in part by the efforts of George Anthony Barber. Cricket was joined by the Curling Club in 1836, and the Skating... |
1999 | 104* (114b, 13x4, 0x6); 1 Catch | |
| 3 | Brisbane Brisbane Cricket Ground The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located.... |
2000 | 63 (83b, 8x4, 0x6) | |
| 4 | Dhaka Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium, also known as Dhaka Stadium, and formerly known as Dacca Stadium is the national stadium and a multipurpose sports arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is located in the Motijheel area in the heart of the city... |
2000 | 100* (112b, 9x4, 1x6) | |
| 5 | Dhaka Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium, also known as Dhaka Stadium, and formerly known as Dacca Stadium is the national stadium and a multipurpose sports arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is located in the Motijheel area in the heart of the city... |
2000 | 90* (130b, 7x4, 2x6); 1 Run out | |
| 6 | Dhaka Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium, also known as Dhaka Stadium, and formerly known as Dacca Stadium is the national stadium and a multipurpose sports arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is located in the Motijheel area in the heart of the city... |
2002 | 112 (108b, 8x4, 2x6) | |
| 7 | Sharjah Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium is in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It was originally constructed in the early 1980s and has been much improved over the years... |
2002 | 129 (131b, 8x4, 3x6) | |
| 8 | Bulawayo Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler... |
2002 | 141* (147b, 13x4, 3x6) | |
| 9 | Harare Harare Sports Club Harare Sports Club is a cricket ground in Harare, Zimbabwe. Initially known as Salisbury Sports Club, Harare Sports Club has served as the primary cricket venue in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe since its inception. The ground became a Test venue in October 1992 when Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test,... |
2002 | 100* (68b, 8x4, 2x6) | |
| 10 | Paarl | 2003 | 58 (59b, 4x4, 0x6) | |
| 11 | Faisalabad Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Previous names for the ground include Lyallpur Stadium, National Stadium, and City Stadium. The current name honours Pakistani poet Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Capacity is 25,000. It has hosted 25 Test matches and 14 One Day... |
2003 | 106 (127b, 7x4, 1x6); 1 Catch | |
| 12 | Rawalpindi Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is the only international standard cricket stadium in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This stadium has recently been expanded to cater for the ever increasing number of spectators for the game. With the increase in capacity, it can now hold around 15,000 spectators... |
2003 | 94* (131b, 5x4, 1x6) | |
| 13 | Queenstown Queenstown Queenstown is the name of several places in the world including:*Queenstown, Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom*Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa*Queenstown, Maryland, United States*Queenstown, New Zealand, a resort town in Otago, New Zealand... |
2004 | 88* (106b, 10x4, 0x6); & 2 Catch | |
| 14 | Birmingham Edgbaston Cricket Ground Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England... |
2004 | 81* (114b, 5x4, 1x6); 2 Catches | |
| 15 | Perth | 2005 | 105 (100b, 9x4, 0x6) | |
| 16 | Edinburgh The Grange, Edinburgh (cricket and sports club) The Grange Club is a cricket and sports club in the Stockbridge district of Edinburgh, Scotland. The cricket ground, commonly known as The Grange, is the regular home of the Scotland national cricket team.-Cricket:... |
2006 | 83* (113b, 11x4, 0x6); 1 Catch | |
| 17 | Lahore Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2007 | 117 (143b, 9x4, 0x6) | |
| 18 | Lahore Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... |
2008 | 108* (103b, 11x4, 1x6); 1 Run out |
Early years
His father Youhana Maseeh worked at the railway station, the family lived in the nearby Railway Colony. As a boy, he couldn't afford a bat and so swatted his brother's taped tennis ball offerings with wooden planks of various dimensions on surfaces masquerading as roads. As a 12-year-old, he was spotted by the Golden Gymkhana, though even then only circumstances dictated his ambitions and never thought of playing cricket. To make a living. He joined Lahore's Forman Christian College and continued playing until suddenly giving up in early 1994.For a time he tried his luck driving rickshaws in BahawalpurBahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
.
Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf is a Pakistani right-handed batsman. He is best known in cricket for his achievement in 2006 when he broke the world record for most Test runs in a single calendar year...
, hailing from poor background, was plucked from the obscurity of a tailor's shop in the slums of the eastern city of Lahore to play a local match in the 1990s. His well-crafted shots attracted attention and he rose through the ranks to become one of Pakistan's best batsman. He was set to work at a tailor's when he was pulled back A local club was short of players. They called him to make up numbers and made a hundred which led to a season in the Bradford Cricket League
Bradford Cricket League
The Bradford Cricket League is an amateur cricket competition centred in Bradford, West Yorkshire...
, with Bowling Old Lane, and a path back into the game.
Conversion to Islam
Until his conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was the fourth Christian (and fifth Non-Muslim overall) to play for the Pakistan cricket team, following in the footsteps of Wallis MathiasWallis Mathias
Wallis Mathias was a Pakistani cricketer who played in 21 Tests from 1955 to 1962. He was the first non-Muslim cricketer to play for Pakistan....
, Antao D'Souza
Antao D'Souza
Antao D'Souza is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in six Tests from 1959 to 1962. He was the fourth Christian to play Test cricket for Pakistan. He was a medium pace bowler and tail-end obdurate batsman. D'Souza toured England in 1962, heading the batting averages as he remained not out...
and the Anglo-Pakistani Duncan Sharpe
Duncan Sharpe
Duncan Albert Sharpe is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in three Tests in 1959. Sharpe was an Anglo-Pakistani, therefore he was one of the few Christian players to play for Pakistan....
. He also has the distinction of being the first and so far only Non-Muslim to captain the country, leading the team in the 2004–05 tour of Australia where he scored a century in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. He converted to Islam after attending regular preaching sessions of the Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi Jamaat is a religious movement which was founded in 1926 by Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi in India. The movement primarily aims at Tablighi spiritual reformation by working at the grass roots level, reaching out to Muslims across all social and economic spectra to bring them closer to...
, Pakistan's largest non-political religious grouping, whose preachers include Yousuf's former team-mate Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint second highest individual score in a One Day International.-Personal life:...
and his brother. His wife Tania converted along with him and adopted the Islamic name Fatima. However the news was kept private for three months due to family reasons, before his announcement of their conversion publicly in September 2005. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_19-9-2005_pg1_6 "I don't want to give Yousuf my name after what he has done," his mother was quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper. "We came to know about his decision when he offered Friday Prayers at a local mosque. It was a shock," his mother was reported as saying. However, Yousuf told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
that "I cannot tell you what a great feeling it is." As part of his conversion, Yousuf officially changed his name from Yousuf Youhana to Mohammad Yousuf.
Former Pakistan cricketer and sports commentator Rameez Raja
Rameez Raja
Rameez Hasan Raja is a former Pakistani right handed batsman in cricket, who represented the Pakistan cricket team during the 1980s and 1990s. He also worked as captain of the national team...
, who himself is Muslim, acknowledged the significance of Yousuf's new faith, "Religion has played an integral part in his growth not just as a cricketer but as a person."