Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla

Personal information
Full name	Hashim Mahomed Amla
Born	31 March 1983 (1983-03-31) Durban, Natal Province, South Africa
Nickname	Hash, The Mighty Beard
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right–arm medium
Role	Batsman
Relations	Ahmed Amla (brother)
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut (cap 295)	28 November 2004 v India
Last Test	3 January 2012 v Sri Lanka
ODI debut (cap 90)	9 March 2008 v Bangladesh
Last ODI	14 January 2012 v Sri Lanka
ODI shirt no.	1
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1999–present	KwaZulu Natal Dolphins (squad no. 1)
2009	Essex
2010	Nottinghamshire
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	56	54	145	108
Runs scored	4,275	2,705	10,830	4,324
Batting average	46.97	56.35	49.22	44.12
100s/50s	14/21	9/16	34/53	12/27
Top score	253*	140	253*	140
Balls bowled	42	–	315	16
Wickets	0	–	1	0
Bowling average	–	–	224.00	–
5 wickets in innings	0	–	0	0
10 wickets in match	0	–	0	n/a
Best bowling	0/4	–	1/10	0/4
Catches/stumpings	52/–	17/–	116/–	37/–
Source: CricInfo, 23 January 2012

Hashim Mahomed Amla (born 31 March 1983) is a South African cricketer. A right-handed upper order batsman and occasional medium-pace bowler, Amla bats at number 3 for South Africa in Test matches and has opened in limited overs contests. He is currently ranked by the International Cricket Council as the world's top batsman in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Early years

Upon graduating from Durban High School and impressing in the youth circuit, Amla made his debut for his provincial team, the KwaZulu Natal Dolphins, soon captaining South Africa at the 2002 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, leading his team to the final. During his formative years, former Western Province captain and coach Hylton Ackerman had been influential in Amla's development, first spotting his talent and honing his skills during his coaching career. His promise led him to being appointed captain of Kwazulu-Natal at the young age of 21. Amla is a devout practicing muslim Amla has been cited as a future captain of South Africa ever since his first class years.

International career

Upon being appointed captain of the Dolphins, Amla began the 2004-05 South African domestic season by scoring four centuries during his first eight innings. His success at the domestic level and consistent performances for the South Africa A squad led to him being chosen for the winter 2004 tour of India at the age of 21, thereby becoming the first South African of Indian descent to represent South Africa in international cricket.

Making his debut in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 28 November 2004, he initially made a slow start to his career, with his technique having been criticized after scoring 36 runs in the 2004 series against England. After honing his technique and working on his skills with the Dolphins, for whom he regularly top-scored in the South African domestic circuit, he proved his critics wrong in 2006 as he scored a comeback 149 against New Zealand at Newlands, Cape Town, helping guide South Africa to a match-saving draw. He subsequently continued this success, earning a national contract and scoring 1599 runs at an average of 57.10 in his next 19 Tests, solidifying his position as South Africa's number 3 batsman.

On 27 March 2008, he scored an unbeaten 159 against India in Chennai amidst searing conditions. His success throughout the 2008 year, in which he scored 1012 runs, consisted of numerous centuries and solid performances against India, England and Australia. During South Africa's 2009 tour of Australia, Amla helped South Africa win a historic Test and one day series victory over Australia, scoring 259 runs at an average of 51.80 during the Tests and contributing crucial scores in the one day series, including a match-winning 80 in the series clincher.

In April 2009, Amla was signed by Essex as their overseas player for a portion of the 2009 English county season, as a short-term replacement for Danish Kaneria. During his stay at the club, he scored two centuries in two Championship matches, including a match-saving 181 on his debut, the highest score by an Essex debutant, as well as 111 runs off 107 in his first Pro40 match, against Sussex. Essex fans had warmed to him throughout his stay, affectionately calling him "W.G" in reference to W.G. Grace.

During England's 2009-10 tour of South Africa, Amla was an integral member of the side throughout the series, scoring a crucial century in the first Test at Centurion and contributing important innings during the rest of the series. His performances also saw him move up the ICC Test Batting rankings.

Top form (2010)

Amla started 2010 in February against India in a two-match test series against India in India. In the first test he scored 253* as South Africa reached 558. After this a superb bowling performance from Dale Steyn meant that India were bowled out for 233 with Steyn bagging seven wickets. India forced to follow-on were bowled out for 319 as South Africa won by an innings and six runs. In the second test match Amla made 114 before being caught by MS Dhoni despite Amla's century the remaining South African batting order could only manage 296. India batted and scored 643 with centuries from Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman. The South African chase collapsed poorly but Amla still managed another century scoring 123* as South Africa were bowled out for 290 and crashed to an innings defeat. After this Amla toured the West Indies for 5 ODIs and three test matches. Amla top scored in the first ODI with 102 as South Africa coasted to a comfortable victory. He followed this up with 92 in the second ODI as South Africa against sealed 17 run victory, in the third ODI Amla scored 30, but in the fourth ODI he returned with a century in scoring 129 of 115 balls. He made 45 in the fifth and final ODI before he was run-out by Kieron Pollard as South Africa won narrowly by one wicket.

The three match test series was one where Amla performed consistently but didn't register any centuries, he top scored with 44. The first test was a poor one for Amla scoring 2 and 5 as South Africa still won comfortably. In the following test he scored 44 and 41 as the match was drawn, he scored 5 and 25 in the final test match as South Africa won by seven wickets.

In the three match ODI series against Zimbabwe Amla scored 110 as South Africa gave Zimbabwe 351 to win and South Africa won the match by 64 runs. The second ODI saw Amla score 110 as South Africa cruised to an 8 wicket victory and sealed the three match series with one game to spare. Amla had a quiet final ODI scoring 24 as South Africa won by 264 runs.

Amla went into a five-match ODI series against Pakistan on the back of good form and in the first ODI managed 35 as South Africa won by 8 wickets. Amla scored a quickfire half century in the second ODI before being given leg-before to a Shahid Afridi leg-break, despite this good knock from Amla and 286 from South Africa the couldn't win the match courtesy of a superb century by Abdul Razzaq scoring 109 of just 73 balls. In the third ODI Amla scored 119* as the rest of the South African order collapsed around him and the team only managed 228, however South Africa won the match by just two runs courtesy of some superb death bowling yorkers from Rusty Theron.

Following these excellent performances in the ODI format Amla was selected in the 12-man Twenty20 squad against India, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, he was selected in place of opener Loots Bosman, the most significant thing about the match before it started or ended was that it was the final match of Makhaya Ntini

Dean Jones controversy

During a Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka on August 7, 2006, Ten Sports commentator Dean Jones referred to Amla as a "terrorist" after he had taken a catch; after incorrectly assuming that broadcasters had switched to a commercial break, he had said "The terrorist gets another wicket". The broadcast was aired around the world, including South Africa, and he was subsequently widely condemned by South African fans, players and several former cricketers and commentators, leading to the channel terminating its contract with Jones. After the incident Jones reportedly apologized to Amla, stating that his comments were never "supposed to be heard over the air", which he accepted.

Personal life

Amla at fielding practice, Adelaide Oval, January 2009

Born to a South African Muslim family, Amla's grandparents are originally from Surat, Gujarat, having emigrated to South Africa numerous years earlier. Amla is spiritually inspired by Moulana Yunus Patel, a South African Islamic Scholar of repute and a Sufism practitioner. His elder brother, Ahmed, is also a professional cricketer, having made his debut two years earlier, and currently captains the Dolphins. Upon his Test debut, he successfully requested that alcohol-promoting logos not be shown on his merchandise and playing gear.

International Centuries

Test Cricket Centuries

• In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
• The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career

Test Cricket Centuries of Hashim Amla

	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	149	4	New Zealand	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands Cricket Ground	2006
2	176*	16	New Zealand	Johannesburg, South Africa	Wanderers Stadium	2007
3	103	17	New Zealand	Centurion, South Africa	SuperSport Park	2007
4	159	23	India	Chennai, India	MA Chidambaram Stadium	2008
5	104*	26	England	London, England	Lord's Cricket Ground	2008
6	112	30	Bangladesh	Bloemfontein, South Africa	Springbok Park	2008
7	100	38	England	Centurion, South Africa	SuperSport Park	2009
8	253*	44	India	Nagpur, India	VCA Stadium	2010
9	114	45	India	Kolkata, India	Eden Gardens	2010
10	123*
11	118*	47	Pakistan	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Dubai International Cricket Stadium	2010
12	140	48	India	Centurion, South Africa	SuperSport Park	2010
13	112	52	Australia	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands Cricket Ground	2011
14	105	53	Australia	Johannesburg, South Africa	Wanderers Stadium	2011

Man of the Match Awards in Test Cricket

Man of the Match Awards taken by Hashim Amla in Test Cricket
Serial No.	Against	Venue or Field	Season / Yr.	Contribution in Match
1.	Pakistan	Centurion, South Africa	2007	71 & 64*
2.	India	Nagpur, India	2010	253*
3.	India	Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India	2010	114 & 123*
last update: (April 28, 2011)

ODI Cricket Centuries

• In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
• The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career

One-Day International Centuries of Hashim Amla

	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	140	4	Bangladesh	Benoni, South Africa	Willowmoore Park	2008
2	102	16	West Indies	North Sound, Antigua	Sir Viv Richards Stadium	2010
3	129	17	West Indies	Roseau, Dominica	Windsor Park	2010
4	110	29	Zimbabwe	Bloemfontein, South Africa	Springbok Park	2010
5	110	30	Zimbabwe	Potchefstroom, South Africa	Senwes Park	2010
6	119*	35	Pakistan	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Dubai International Cricket Stadium	2010
7	116*	42	India	Centurion, South Africa	SuperSport Park	2011
8	113	44	Netherlands	Mohali, Chandigarh, India	PCA Stadium	2011
9	112	53	Sri Lanka	Paarl, South Africa	Boland Bank Park	2012

External links

• Player profile: Hashim Amla from ESPNcricinfo