World Twitter: Pakistan national cricket team

Pakistan
Pakistan cricket cap crest
Test status granted	1952
First Test match	v India at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi in India. From 16–18 October 1952.
Captain	Test cricket: Misbah Ul-Haq One Day International: Shahid Afridi Twenty20: Shahid Afridi
Coach	Waqar Younis
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking	6th in Test cricket, 5th in One Day International and 1st in Twenty20 International
Test matches - This year	336 3
Last Test match	v Australia at Bellerive Oval, Hobart in Australia. From 14–18 January 2010,
Wins/losses - This year	106/95 1/2
As of {{{asofdate}}}

The Pakistan National Cricket Team is an International cricket team representing Pakistan. It is administrated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Pakistan is a member of the International Cricket Council and has professional teams representing in Test cricket, One Day International and Twenty20 matches.

Pakistan are the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 champions, ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup champions twice in 2004 and in 2006 making them the first and the only team to become back to back champions in the U-19 Cricket World Cup tournaments and they are also the ICC World Twenty20 2009 champions. Pakistan have been semi finalist 3 times in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000, 2004 and 2009.

After gaining independence from the British Empire in 1947, Pakistan cricket was played before the first Pakistan national team was granted test match playing status. Documentation and archives show that during the 18th century, cricket was played on the western part of India and many successful Indian cricketers played for the English cricket team. It was not until 28 July 1952 that Pakistan started playing test match cricket. Their first match took place in Delhi against India on October of the same year. Their first international tour was to England during 1954. Over the half century, Pakistan has become one of the most challenging and unpredictable teams in the world, the team won the 1992 Cricket World Cup and were runners up in the 1999 Cricket World Cup. The country has produced several world-class players such as Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Sarfaraz Nawaz, Mushtaq Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan.

As of October 2007, the Pakistani team has played 332 Test matches, winning 30.29%, losing 26.76% and drawing 42.94% of its games. The team is ranked sixth in the ICC Test Championship and fourth place in the ICC ODI Championship.On 28 August 2006, Pakistan won its debut Twenty20 International match in England and were runners up in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in September 2007. They won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

History

History of the Pakistani cricket team

See also: Cricket in Pakistan, History of cricket in Pakistan from 1947 to 1970, History of cricket in Pakistan from 1971 to 1985, History of cricket in Pakistan from 1986 to 2000, and History of cricket in Pakistan from 2001

Following the Partition of India in 1947 and the establishment of the separate province of Pakistan, cricket in the country developed steadily and Pakistan was given Test match status at a meeting of the Imperial Cricket Conference at Lord's Cricket Ground in England on 28 July 1952 following recommendation by India,[6] which, being the successor state of the British Raj, did not have to go through such a process. The first captain of the Pakistan national cricket team was Abdul Kardar.

Pakistan’s first Test match was played in Delhi in October 1952 as part of a five Test series which India won 2-1. Pakistan made their first tour of England in 1954 and drew the series 1-1 after a memorable victory at The Oval in which fast bowler Fazal Mahmood took 12 wickets. Pakistan’s first home Test match was in Dacca in January 1955 against India, after which four more Test matches were played in Bahawalpur, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi (all five matches in the series were drawn, the first such occurrence in test history).

Pakistan playing against Australia at Lord's in England.

The team is considered a strong but unpredictable team. Traditionally Pakistani cricket has been filled with players of great talent but limited discipline, making them a team which could play inspirational cricket one day and then perform less than ordinarily another day. Over the years, competitions between India and Pakistan have always been emotionally charged and provide for intriguing contests, as talented teams and players from both sides of the border elevate their game to new levels to produce high-quality cricket. Pakistani contest with India in the Cricket World Cup have seen packed stadiums and elevated atmospheres no matter where the World Cup has been held.

1986 Australasia Cup

Australasia Cup

The 1986 Australasia Cup, played in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, is remembered as a famous last-ball victory for Pakistan against arch-rivals India, with Javed Miandad emerging as a national hero. India batted first and set a target of 245 runs, leaving Pakistan with a required run rate of 4.92 runs per over. Javed Miandad came in to bat at number 3 and Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. Later recalling the match, Miandad stated that his main focus was to lose with dignity. With 31 runs needed in the last three overs, Miandad hit a string of boundaries while batting with his team's lower order, until four runs were required from the last delivery of the match. Miandad received a leg side full toss from Chetan Sharma, which he hit for six over the midwicket boundary.

1992 Cricket World Cup

At the 1992 World Cup Semi Final, having won the toss, New Zealand chose to bat first and ended with a total of 262 runs. Pakistan batted conservatively yet lost wickets at regular intervals. With the departure of Imran Khan and Saleem Malik shortly thereafter, Pakistan still required 115 runs at a rate of 7.67 runs per over with veteran Javed Miandad being the only known batsman remaining at the crease. A young Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had just turned 22 and was not a well-known player at the time, burst onto the international stage with a match-winning 60 off 37 balls. Once Inzamam got out, Pakistan required 36 runs from 30 balls, which wicketkeeper Moin Khan ended with a towering six over long off, followed by the winning boundary to midwicket. The match is seen as the emergence of Inzamam onto the international stage.

The 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand marked Pakistan's first World Cup victory. It is remembered for the comeback Pakistan made after losing key players such as Waqar Younis and Saeed Anwar and being led by an injured captain in Imran Khan. Pakistan lost 4 of their first 5 matches and were nearly eliminated in the first round of the tournament after being bowled out for 74 runs against England, until the match was declared as a "no result" due to rain. Imran Khan famously told the team to play as "cornered tigers", after which Pakistan won five successive matches, including, most famously, the semi-final against hosts New Zealand and the final against England.

2007 Cricket World Cup

The 2007 Cricket World Cup was one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history when Pakistan was knocked out of the competition in a shock defeat to Ireland, who were playing in their first competition. Pakistan, needing to win to qualify for the next stage after losing to the West Indies in their opening match, were put into bat by Ireland. They lost wickets regularly and only 4 batsmen scored double figures. In the end they were bowled out by the Irish for 132 runs. The Irish went on to win the match, after Niall O'Brien scored 72 runs. This meant that Pakistan had been knocked out during the first round for the second consecutive World Cup. Tragedy struck the team when coach Bob Woolmer died one day later on 18 March 2007 in a hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. Jamaican police spokesman, Karl Angell, reported on 23 March 2007 that, "Mr Woolmer's death was due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation" and that, "Mr Woolmer's death is now being treated by the Jamaica police as a case of murder." Assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed acted as temporary coach for the team's final group game of the tournament.Subsequent to his team's defeat and the death of Woolmer, Inzamam-ul-Haq announced his resignation as captain of the team and his retirement from one-day cricket, stating that he would continue to take part in Test cricket but not as captain. Shoaib Malik was announced as his successor. Following his return to the squad, Salman Butt was appointed as vice-captain until December 2007.

On 23 March 2007, Pakistan players and officials were questioned by Jamaican police and submitted DNA samples along with fingerprints, as part of the routine enquiries in the investigation into Woolmer's murder.Three days after leaving the West Indies for Pakistan, via London, the Pakistan team were ruled out as suspects. The deputy commissioner of Jamaican police. Mark Shields, the detective in charge of the investigation, announced, "It's fair to say they are now being treated as witnesses." "I have got no evidence to suggest it was anybody in the squad." A memorial service was held in Sacred Heart Church, Lahore, for Bob Woolmer on 1 April 2007. Among the attendees were Pakistan players and dignitaries, including Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was quoted as saying, "After Woolmer's family, the Pakistan team was the most aggrieved by his death."After the World Cup ended, serious doubts were raised about the investigation, with increasing speculation that Woolmer died of natural causes. This has now been accepted as fact, and the case has been closed. Pakistan Qualified for Final Of T20 2009 beating SouthAfrica by 7 runs in 1st semifinal.

Lasith Malinga bowling for Sri Lanka in the ICC World
Twenty20 Final against Pakistan at Lord's inEngland.

On 20 April 2007, a PCB official announced that former Test cricketer Talat Ali would act as interim coach, in addition to his role as team manager, until a new coach had been appointed. On 16 July 2007, Geoff Lawson, previously head coach of New South Wales, was appointed coach of the Pakistan for two years, becoming the third foreigner to take on the role. In the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, Pakistan exceeded expectations to reach the final but ended as runners-up, after losing the final to India in a nail-biting finish. On 25 October 2008, Intikhab Alam was named as a national coach of the team by the PCB.

2009 ICC World T20

On 21 June 2009 Pakistan won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, beating Sri Lanka in the final by eight wickets. Pakistan had begun the tournament slowly losing two of their first three matches but after dismissing New Zealand for 99 runs in the Super 8 stage they had a run of four consecutive wins including beating previously unbeaten South Africa, in the semi-final and Sri Lanka.

Governing body

Pakistan Cricket Board

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is responsible for all first class and Test cricket played in Pakistan and by the Pakistan cricket team. It was admitted to the International Cricket Council in July 1953. The corporation has been run by former cricketers, professional administrators and trustees, who are often respected businessmen. The Board governs a network of teams sponsored by corporations and banks, city associations and clubs including advertising, broadcasting rights and internet partners.

After taking heavy flak for corruption and match fixing, the PCB re-emerged by taking the initiative to sponsor the wildly successful 2004 tour of Pakistan by arch rivals India. The PCB's experiment with the Twenty20 cricket model has also proven popular and hopes to similarly revive popular interest in domestic games,which it did. The PCB also set up major domestic competitions such as the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the ANZ Trophy.

Tournament history

World Cup World Twenty20 Champions Trophy Asia Cup Australasia Cup Asian Test Championship Commonwealth Games

1975: First Round

1979: Semi Finals

1983: Semi Finals

1987: Semi Finals

1992: Champions

1996: Quarter Finals

1999: Runners Up

2003: First round

2007: First round

2007: Runners Up

2009: Champions

2010: Semi Finals

1998: Quarter Finals

2000: Semi Finals

2002: First round

2004: Semi Finals

2006: First round

2009: Semi Finals

1984: Third Place

1986: Runners Up

1988: Third Place

1990-91: Did not participate

1995: Third Place

1997: Third Place

2000: Champions

2004: Third Place

2008: Third Place

2010: Third Place

1986: Champions

1990: Champions

1994: Champions

1998-99: Champions

2001-02: Runners Up

1998: First Round

List of International grounds

Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

National Cricket Stadium in Karachi.

Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.

Stadium City Test matches ODI matches

National Stadium Karachi 40 44

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore 39 57

Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad 24 16

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi 8 21

Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar 6 15

Multan Cricket Stadium Multan 5 7

Niaz Stadium Hyderabad 5 7

Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot) Sialkot 4 9

Bagh-e-Jinnah (Lahore) Lahore 3 0

Sheikhupura Stadium Sheikhupura 2 2

Jinnah Stadium Gujranwala 1 11

Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium Multan 1 6

Pindi Club Ground Rawalpindi 1 2

Defence Housing Authority Stadium Karachi 1 0

Bahawal Stadium Bahawalpur 1 0

Zafar Ali Stadium Sahiwal 0 2

Ayub National Stadium Quetta 0 2

Sargodha Stadium Sargodha 0 1

Bugti Stadium Quetta 0 1

Pakistan women's cricket team

Pakistan national women's cricket team

The Pakistan women's cricket team has a much lower profile than the men's team. For all national women's cricket teams, the female players are paid much less their male counterparts and the women's teams do not receive as much popular support or recognition as the men's team. The women's teams also have a less packed schedule compared to men's teams and play fewer matches. The team played it first match during 1997, when it was on tour of New Zealand and Australia and were invited to the World Cup later that year and in the Women's Asia Cup during 2005 the team came third place. During 2007, the team with face South Africa and later in the year travel to Ireland to play in the Women's World Cup Qualifier. The team also played at the T20 England World Cup, the team finished 6th place, beating Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2009.

Logo

Pakistan's Cricket Team's Logo is a star, usually in the color Gold or Green, with the word "Pakistan" (پاکِستان) written inside in Urdu, Pakistan's official language.

Personnel

Current squad

This is a list of all the players who have played for Pakistan in the 12 months and the forms in which they have participated. On 19 March 2010 the PCB issued its central contracts for the year. They are graded A, B, C, according to pay and also included a list of players who received a one-off stipend for good performance in the domestic leagues, or in the 2010 U-19 Cricket World Cup.

Key

Domestic team – First-class team the player represents in the current or preceding season. If n/a, then Limited overs team is displayed.

C/G – The contract grade awarded by the PCB.

A/B/C Central Contract

S Stipend Contract

A/B/C/S Suspended Contract

N/A No Contract

Statistics

Test – Test matches played in the last year.

ODI – One Day International matches played in the last year.

T20I – Twenty20 International matches played in the last year.

General

♠ – Player was captain of the Test team in the past year.

* – Player was captain of the ODI team in the past year.

♦ – Player was captain of the T20I team in the past year.

Name Age Batting style Bowling style Domestic team C/G Test ODI T20I

Opening batsmen

Salman Butt ♠ 26 Left-hand bat Right arm off spin NBP A 8 7 8

Imran Farhat 28 Left-hand bat Right arm leg spin HBL B 8 4 5

Khalid Latif 25 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin HBL S 1 4

Shahzaib Hasan 21 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin Karachi Blues S 3 6

Khurram Manzoor 24 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin PIA S 1

Asad Shafiq 24 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin Karachi Blues S 1 10

Taufeeq Umar 29 Left-hand bat Right arm off spin HBL N/A 2

Yasir Hameed 32 Right-hand bat Right arm medium, Right arm off spin ZTBL N/A 2

Imran Nazir 29 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin ZTBL N/A 3

Middle-order batsmen

Misbah Ul-Haq ♠ 36 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin KRL B 3 2 8

Umar Akmal 20 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin SNGPL B 9 14 15

Faisal Iqbal 29 Right-hand bat Right arm medium PIA B 1

Azhar Ali 25 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin KRL S 8

Mohammad Yousuf ♠* 36 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin MSC N/A 4 10 2

Younis Khan 33 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin, Right arm medium Surrey N/A 2 10

Umar Amin 21 Left-hand bat Right arm medium NBP N/A 4 3

Wicket-keepers

Kamran Akmal 28 Right-hand bat – NBP A 6 12 11

Zulqarnain Haider 24 Right-hand bat – Lahore Blues S 1 4 2

Sarfraz Ahmed 23 Right-hand bat – Karachi Dolphins S 1 1 2

Adnan Akmal 25 Right-hand bat – ZTBL N/A 2

All-rounders

Shahid Afridi ♠*♦ 30 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin HBL A 1 18 13

Abdul Razzaq 31 Right hand bat Right arm fast-medium Hampshire A 11 14

Mohammad Hafeez 30 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin HBL C 2 10 9

Fawad Alam 25 Left-hand bat Left-arm orthodox NBP C 13 8

Yasir Arafat 28 Right hand bat Right arm fast-medium Sussex C 2

Shoaib Malik 26 Left-hand bat Right arm off spin PIA N/A 4 5 5

Fast bowlers

Umar Gul 26 Right-hand bat Right arm fast-medium HBL A 8 8 9

Mohammad Asif 28 Left-hand bat Right arm medium-fast NBP A 8 6 2

Mohammad Amir 18 Left-hand bat Left arm fast NBP B 7 4 8

Wahab Riaz 25 Right-hand bat Right arm fast NBP C 3 4 1

Mohammad Sami 29 Right-hand bat Right arm fast N/A 2 3

Tanvir Ahmed 32 Right-hand bat Right arm fast-medium N/A 1

Shoaib Akhtar 35 Right-hand bat Right arm fast Rawalpindi N/A 13 6

Iftikhar Anjum 30 Right-hand bat Right arm medium ZTBL N/A 2

Mohammad Irfan 28 Right-hand bat Left arm fast-medium KRL N/A 2

Spin bowlers

Danish Kaneria 30 Right-hand bat Right arm leg spin Essex A 5

Saeed Ajmal 33 Right-hand bat Right arm off spin KRL B 4 13 15

Abdur Rehman 30 Left-hand bat Left-arm orthodox HBL C 2 3 3

Correct as of November 14 2010

Coaching Staff

Head Coach & Bowling Coach: Waqar Younis

Assistant Coach & Bowling Coach: Aaqib Javed

Team Manager: Intikhab Alam

Batting Coach & Fielding Coach: Javed Miandad

Notable Pakistani cricketers

Batsmen

Renowned Pakistani batsmen include Hanif Mohammad, Mushtaq Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed, Majid Khan, Asif Iqbal, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Mudassar Nazar, Mohsin Khan, Saleem Malik, Shoaib Mohammad, Ijaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan.

Bowlers

Renowned Pakistani bowlers include Fazal Mahmood, Sarfraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Intikhab Alam, Iqbal Qasim, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq.

Wicket Keepers

Renowned Pakistani Wicket Keepers include Wasim Bari, Rashid Latif, Moin Khan and Kamran Akmal.

All-Rounders

Renowned Pakistani All-Rounders include Asif Iqbal, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram.

Records

Batting

Test Batting Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Imtiaz Ahmed 1952-62 1955 4rd highest test match innings by a wicketkeeper 209

Hanif Mohammad 1952-69 1958

8th highest Test match innings

Slowest Test triple century

Highest Test innings on foreign soil

4th highest Test innings by an opener

337 runs

970min

Hanif scored 337 runs against the West Indies in 1958, which was also the first triple century by an Asian cricketer, and at the time the longest innings by any batsman in terms of time spent at the wicket.

Majid Khan 1964-83 1976-77 Joint 7th fastest Test match century 74 balls

Zaheer Abbas 1969-85 1971 5th highest Test match maiden century 274

Mudassar Nazar 1976-89 1977-78 Slowest Test century 557 min

Javed Miandad 1976-93 1976

Youngest player to score a double century.

Only teenager to score a double century.

19y 140d

Career

12th most Test runs.

8,832 Miandad's record is also the most Test runs by a Pakistani.

Taslim Arif 1980 1980 3rd highest Test match innings by a wicketkeeper 210*

Shoaib Mohammad 1983-95 1990-91 9th Slowest Test match double century 411 balls

Inzamam-ul-Haq 1991-2007 Career 10th most fifties in Test cricket 71

Career 10th most fours in Test cricket 1112

Career Joint 4th most sixes in an innings 9

Mohammad Yousuf 1998-2010 2006 Most Test match runs in a calendar year 1,788

2006 Most Test centuries in a calendar year 9

2006 Most centuries in successive Tests 6 centuries/5 tests

Shahid Afridi 1998-2010 1999 7th youngest player to score a test century 18y 333d

2004-05 Joint 2nd fastest Test fifty 26 balls

2006 2nd most runs off one over 27

2006 Joint most sixes off consecutive deliveries 4

2010 9th highest strike rate in an innings 206.66

Younis Khan 2000-10 2009 5th highest individual innings by a captain 313 Younis scored 313 against Sri Lanka in 2009, becoming the third Pakistani to reach a triple century, and also attaining the third highest Test Innings by a Pakistani.

T20 International Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Kamran Akmal 2006-10 Career 7th most runs in career 704

2010 2nd highest innings by a wicketkeeper 73

Shahid Afridi 2006-10 Career 8th most runs in career 650

2010 3rd highest innings strike rate 357.14

2006 5th highest innings strike rate 280.00

2007 7th highest innings strike rate 260.00

Umar Akmal 2009-10 2010 4th most runs in a calendar year 385

One Day International Batting Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Saeed Anwar 1989-2003 1997 Joint 2nd highest ODI innings. 194

Zaheer Abbas 1969-85 Career 6th highest batting average in ODI 47.62

Inzamam-Ul-Haq 1991-2007 Career 4th highest career ODI runs 11,739

Shahid Afridi 1996-present 1996 Fastest ODI century 37 balls Afridi scored his maiden century in his maiden innings in 1996, against Kenya. He was originally in the team as a bowling replacement for Mushtaq Ahmed, and walked out as a pinch-hitter up the order wielding Waqar Younis' bat.

Bowling

Test Bowling Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Wasim Akram 1984-2003 Career 9th most Test wickets 414

Akram also holds the record of most Test wickets by a Pakistani bowler.

Waqar Younis 1989-2003 Career Best strike rate with +200 Test wickets 43.4

Career 14th highest Test wickets 373 Waqar also holds the record of second most Test wickets by a Pakistani bowler.

One Day International Bowling Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Wasim Akram 1984-2003 Career 2nd most ODI wickets 502 Akram's record was surpassed by Muttiah Muralitharan. Akram still holds the record of most ODI wickets by a Pakistani bowler.

Career One of three bowlers to take 2 ODI hat-tricks The other bowlers were Saqlain Mustaq and Chaminda Vaas

Waqar Younis 1989-2003 Career 3rd most ODI wickets 416 Waqar also holds the record of second most ODI wickets by a Pakistani bowler.

Saqlain Mushtaq 1995-2004 Career Fastest to reach 100, 150, 200 and 250 wickets

Career Only spinner to take a hat-trick in an ODI

Career One of three bowlers to take 2 ODI hat-tricks The other bowlers were Wasim Akram and Chaminda Vaas

T20 International Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Umar Gul 2007-10 2009 Best bowling figures in a Twenty20 International 5 wickets / 6 runs

Career 2nd most wickets in career 47

2009 Joint 3rd most wickets in a calendar year 19

Career Most 4 wicket hauls in career 4

Shahid Afridi 2006-10 Career Most wickets in career 48

2009 7th most wickets in a calendar year 18

Career Joint 2nd most 4 wicket hauls 2

Saeed Ajmal 2009-10 Career 3rd most wickets in career 38

2009 and 2010 Joint 3rd most wickets in a calendar year 19

Career Joint 2nd most 4 wicket hauls in career 2

Miscellaneous Records

Name Intl. Career span Year set Record description Record Notes

Wasim Akram 1984-2003 Career One of 2 bowlers to achieve a hat-trick in both Test and ODI

Career Only bowler to achieve four hat-tricks

Career 1st bowler to achieve +400 wickets in both Test and ODI Muttiah Muralitharan has since achieved this.

Shoaib Akhtar 1997-present Career Official fastest delivery in cricket

161.3 km/h

100.2 mph

Mohammad Sami 2001-present Career Unofficial fastest delivery in cricket

164 km/h

101.9 mph

The record was revoked by cricket officials after they found faulty speed measurements on the speed radar.

Career One of 2 bowlers to achieve a hat-trick in both Test and ODI

Controversies

Ball Tampering

Reverse swing

Reverse swing was first discovered by Sarfraz Nawaz in the 1970s, who then passed it on to another Pakistani bowler, Imran Khan. Khan mastered reverse swing and the evidence of reverse swing by him was seen in 1983 in a Test match against India at Karachi, where he took 5 wickets in 25 balls. Imran Khan subsequently passed this skill on to Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram who are considered to have been the finest exponents of the delivery.

On Pakistan's 1992 tour of England, England had no answer to the reverse swing, a new phenomenon to them. Pakistan won the series 2-1. The series was controversial one as the Pakistani team were accused of ball tampering, particularly being discriminated against by the English media.

However, it was later proved that the Pakistani bowlers were simply ahead of their time. Following this episode, reverse swing expanded around the cricket world and more bowlers, including those from England, mastered the technique.

2006 incident

During the fourth Test against England at the Oval on 20 August 2006, ball tampering accusations were made against the Pakistani team, which resulted in the team forfeiting the match. On the fourth day of the Test, during England's second innings, the ball began to late reverse swing for Umar Gul in particular, resulting in him dismissing Alastair Cook LBW to an inswinging yorker. Four overs later, on examining the ball, umpire Darrell Hair decided there was evidence that the ball had been tampered with. He consulted with the other umpire, Billy Doctrove and penalised the Pakistani team for interfering with the condition of the ball, awarding five runs to England. Following the playing conditions for that Test, the England batsmen were allowed to choose a replacement ball from a selection of six provided. Although play continued until the end of the afternoon session, the Pakistani team decided in principle, not to reappear at the start of the third session. This decision was made in protest of what they believed to be an unjust and insensitive decision. However Pakistan's claim that the ball had been damaged by being hit to the boundary. . As a result of the Pakistani team's failure to appear at the field, the umpires awarded the test to England, cricket's first and only forfeiture till July 2008 when the cricket's international governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) changed the result of the test from an English win to a draw (it was then restored to an England win in February 2009).

The Pakistani team was cleared of any wrongdoing and Darrell Hair was banned when further proceedings saw captain Inzamam-ul-Haq found not guilty of ball tampering. However, the team's protest led to him being banned for four games on the charge of bringing the game of cricket into disrepute.

Match fixing

2010 spot-fixing allegations

During Pakistan Tour of England In 2010 British tabloid newspaper News of the World alleged spot-fixing had been taking place involving 7 of the Pakistani test players.

Doping

Immediately following the 2006 ball tampering controversy was the news that front line fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif had both tested positive for Nandrolone, a banned anabolic steroid. Though both denied any substance abuse, on 1 November 2006 both Akhtar and Asif were banned for a period of 2 years and 1 year respectively. However, both fast bowlers were successful in their appeals with the earlier bans being revoked. The World Anti-Doping Agency made an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the revoking of this ban. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport later dropped the case, ruling it had no jurisdiction to challenge the decision made by PCB.

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