Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq

Personal information
Full name	Saqlain Mushtaq
Born	29 December 1976 (1976-12-29) Lahore, Pakistan
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm off break
International information
National side	Pakistan
Test debut (cap 134)	8 September 1995 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	1 April 2004 v India
ODI debut (cap 103)	29 September 1995 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	7 October 2003 v South Africa
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1994–2004	Pakistan Intl. Airlines
1994–1998	Islamabad
1997–2008	Surrey
2003–2004	Lahore
2007	Sussex
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	49	169	194	323
Runs scored	927	711	3,405	1,339
Batting average	14.48	11.85	16.69	11.64
100s/50s	1/2	0/0	1/14	0/0
Top score	101*	37*	101*	38*
Balls bowled	14,070	8,770	44,634	16,062
Wickets	208	288	833	478
Bowling average	29.83	21.78	23.56	23.55
5 wickets in innings	13	6	60	7
10 wickets in match	3	n/a	15	n/a
Best bowling	8/164	5/20	8/65	5/20
Catches/stumpings	15/–	40/–	67/–	80/–
Source: Cricinfo, 8 December 2009

Saqlain Mushtaq (Urdu: ثقلین مشتاق) (born December 29, 1976) is a Pakistani cricketer, . He is best known for pioneering the "doosra", which he employed to great effect during his career. Saqlain has not been active in international cricket since 2004.

Career

Saqlain made his international debut in September 1995 playing against Sri Lanka at Peshawar. He picked up four wickets at an average of 26.75 in the first test of the series. The highlight of his Test career came in the away series against India in January/February 1999, where he achieved his first ten wicket haul in a test match. In the first test, with India needing only 17 runs to win, Saqlain effectively sealed Pakistan's win by taking the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar who had scored 136. He ended the series with twenty wickets at an average of 20.15, which earned him the Man of the Series award.

Domestic career

Saqlain represented Surrey for eight successive seasons, from 1997 to 2004. However, his time there was interrupted and his international career with Pakistan effectively ended in 2004.

In August 2005, he played his first match after recovering from injury against Bangladesh A, and took 4-87 from 35 overs bowled over two innings. However that same week, in his return to the County Championship, he conceded 110 off 28 overs against Gloucestershire, taking just one wicket.

In February 2006, he signed for Ireland for the C&G Trophy, along with fellow team mate Abdul Razzaq.

Later in February 2007, Sussex announced that Saqlain had signed a two-year contract with them. His initial requirement was to cover for fellow Pakistanis, Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan who were part of Pakistan's World Cup campaign. On 26 September 2007, Saqlain was released by the county on his request. On 8 October 2007 Saqlain was re-signed by Surrey.

On 28 October, according to Cricinfo, he was released by Surrey.

In April 2009 he joined Old Whigiftians CC to play in the Surrey Championship. He took 64 wickets in his first season, including five 5 wicket hauls to earn Whits promotion to the first division. He was also involved in the youth game setup. In 2010, after relocating to Leicestershire, he joined Syston Town Cricket Club, playing in the Everards County League.

In late 2010, he was training in Taunton at the facilities of Somerset County Cricket Club, whom he has now joined as a temporary spin-bowling coach for the 2011 Caribbean Twenty20 competition.

Playing style

Saqlain is credited with the invention of the "doosra", an off-spinner's delivery which is bowled with an action very similar to that of an off-break. However, it spins in the opposite direction (i.e. from the leg side to the off side), easily confusing batsmen, making it a very effective weapon. Saqlain became well known for this variation ball, which was integral to his success, although he received criticism for overusing it.

His other variation was the arm ball, which again uses a similar grip as the off-break, but imparts a back-spin instead of a side-spin, and causes the ball to go straight on without turning.

During his time at Surrey, Saqlain worked on developing new deliveries which he called the "teesra" and the "chotha". However little else is known about these deliveries.

Records and achievements

• Saqlain was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 2000.

• A statistical analysis conducted by Wisden in 2003 revealed Saqlain as the all-time greatest ODI spinner, and sixth greatest of all ODI bowlers.

• Was the fastest to reach the milestones of 100, 150, 200 and 250 wickets in ODIs.

• He was the first of only two spinners to have taken a hat-trick in an ODI (the other being Abdur Razzak), and the second of only four bowlers to have taken two ODI hat tricks (Wasim Akram, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga being the others), the second of which was only the second hat-trick in a World Cup match.

Personal life

After marrying a British citizen, Saqlain gained a British passport, which made him eligible to play for England after a four-year qualification period that ended in April 2008.

External links

• Cricinfo.com - Saqlain Mushtaq's Player Profile