Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistan|Bowler
Saqlain Mushtaq
INTL CAREER: 1995 - 2004
Browse other players
South Africa
All

Alphabetically sorted top ten of players who have played the most matches across formats in the last 12 months

Full Name

Saqlain Mushtaq

Born

December 29, 1976, Lahore, Punjab

Age

47y 81d

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Offbreak

Playing Role

Bowler

A trend-setter. Saqlain Mushtaq was perhaps the first offspinner to master the doosra, a delivery that spins away from the batsman even though it is delivered with an offspinner's action. Saqlain has a fast, short-stepping action with a halting delivery, and has a propensity to bowl no-balls, unusually for a bowler with such a short run. He is criticised for attempting too much variation and he often throws in the doosra the first time a batsman faces. Saqlain's international career got off to a splendid start - he was the fastest bowler to 100 one-day wickets, and his phenomenal control meant that he regularly bowled at the death. But his finest moment arguably came in a Test match, at Chennai in 1998-99, when his ten-for allowed Pakistan to sneak nerve-tingling 12-run win against India. However, his stock has fallen a long way since then, with Shoaib Malik, a better batsman than Saqlain, usurping the spinner's spot in the ODI line-up and Danish Kaneria becoming the frontline Test spinner. Saqlain did get an opportunity to have a go at the Indians again in the 2003-04 series, but unflattering figures of 1 for 204 at Multan meant that he was quickly consigned to the scrap heap. He was unable to force his way back ahead of Danish Kaneria and he was blighted by injury after a prolific time with Surrey. However, his career was given a lifeline in 2007 when he joined Mushtaq Ahmed at Sussex and there was even talk of him qualifying for England. That could remain a distant dream, after signing a contract with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. Indeed, his ICL contract forced Surrey to severe ties with him after the 2008 season, ending his 11-year relationship with The Oval.

Kamran Abbasi October 2008

Saqlain Mushtaq Career Stats

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests49861407062062088/16410/15529.832.6467.612133
ODIs169165877062752885/205/2021.784.2930.41160
FC194-44634196308338/65-23.562.6353.5-6015
List A323-16062112614785/205/2023.554.2033.61670
T20s99210265143/243/2418.927.5715.0000

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
Tests497814927101*14.48360325.7212827150
ODIs169983871137*11.85143449.5800454400
FC194263593405101*16.69--114--670
List A32318267133938*11.64--00--800
T20s94024146.0024100.00002020
Saqlain Mushtaq

Explore Statsguru Analysis

Test
ODI

Photos of Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq watches on during Pakistan training
Matthew Hayden watches on as Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq speaks during training
Saqlain Mushtaq shakes hands with Adil Rashid
Rahul Dravid and Saqlain Mushtaq have a friendly chat ahead of the game
Mohammad Yousuf and Saqlain Mushtaq arrive at the Colombo airport
Saqlain Mushtaq and Andy Flower like what they see during a Pakistan training session