Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the team is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and participates in Test, ODI and Twenty20 International cricket matches.
As of 22nd August 2016, the Pakistani cricket team is ranked first in Tests, ninth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is by the ICC.
Few cricket sides have been as mercurial as Pakistan; few have oscillated so frequently between the sublime and the atrocious; add to that the controversies, and Pakistan would definitely be classified as a one-of-its kind side. Having gained Test status following India's partition, Pakistan registered their maiden Test victory at their second go against India at Lucknow. Two years later they defeated the English at their den, and with their seemingly endless supply of fast bowlers, have remained a force as formidable as any over decades. Their arch-rivalry with India ranks next to only the Ashes in terms of cricket contests, but they have had their clashes with other sides as well: both England and Australia have been involved in on- and off-field clashes with Pakistan, but despite all that they had continued to thrive. Legends like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, and Wasim Akram have ensured that their heads had been held high on the field.
Current squad
The Pakistan Cricket ODI, Test, T20 Team List given below:-
T20 : Sarfraz Ahmed
Coach : Mickey Arthur
Name | Batting | Bowling | Grade | Forms |
Misbah-ul-Haq | Right-hand bat | Right arm Leg Spin | A | Test |
Azhar Ali | Right-hand bat | Right arm leg spin | A | Test, ODI, T20I |
Sarfraz Ahmed | Right-hand bat | – | B | Test, ODI, T20I |
Fakhar Zaman | Left-hand bat | Slow left arm orthodox | - | Test, ODI, T20I |
Younis Khan | Right-hand bat | Right arm medium | A | Test |
Asad Shafiq | Right-hand bat | Right arm leg spin | B | Test |
Khalid Latif | Right-hand bat | Right arm off spin | - | ODI, T20I |
Mohammad Amir | Left-hand bat | Left Arm Fast | - | Test, ODI, T20I |
Rahat Ali | Right-hand bat | Left Arm Fast-Medium | B | Test, ODI |
Imran Khan | Right-hand bat | Right Arm Fast-Medium | C | Test |
Wahab Riaz | Right-hand bat | Left Arm Fast | B | Test, ODI, T20I |
Yasir Shah | Right-hand bat | Right arm leg spin | B | Test, ODI |
Pakistan | |
Test status acquired | 1952 |
First Test match | vs India at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi, 16–18 October 1952 |
Captain | Misbah ul Haq (Test) Azhar Ali (ODI) Sarfraz Ahmed (T20I) |
Coach | Mickey Arthur |
Current ICC Test,ODI and T20I ranking | 2nd (Test) 9th (ODI) 7th (T20I) [1] |
All-time best ICCTest, ODI and T20Iranking | 1st (Test) 1st (ODI) 1st (T20I) [2] |
Test matches – This year | 399 4 |
Last Test match | vs England at The Oval Cricket Ground 11-14 August 2016 |
Wins/losses – This year | 128/113 2/2 |
As of 3 September 2016 | |
Governing body
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.
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-i-Azam Trophyand the Faysal Bank T20 Cup.
Pakistan have played 858 ODIs, winning 452 (52.86%), losing 380, tying 8 with 18 ending in no-result. Pakistan were the 1992 World Cup champions, and were runners-up in the 1999 tournament. Pakistan, in conjunction with other countries in South Asia, have hosted the 1987 and1996 World Cups, with the 1996 final being hosted at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The team has also played 106 Twenty20 Internationals, the most of any team, winning 60 losing 43 and tying 3.Pakistan won the2009 ICC World Twenty 20 and were runners-up in the inaugural tournament in 2007.
Pakistan have played 399 Test matches, with winning 128, losing 113 and drawing 158. The team has the third-best win/loss ratio in Test cricket of 1.3, and the fifth-best overall win percentage of 32.08%.Pakistan was given Test status on 28 July 1952, following a recommendation by India, and made its Test debut against India at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi, in October 1952, with India winning by an innings and 70 runs.In the 1950s, several Pakistani Test players had played Test cricket for the Indian cricket team before the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
Pakistan clinched the World Cup in 1992 against all odds, and have subsequently been oscillating between extremes. Hit by match-fixing (which had put several cricketers under scrutiny), terrorist attacks (which made sure Pakistan does not get to play a match at home), and unfathomable selection policies (no other side changes captains as frequently), they have still managed to come up with surprises every now and then.
It may be argued that Pakistan is not the safest place to play cricket in, and neither does it have the best possible domestic infrastructure. However, it cannot be denied that cricket will be a sorrier sport without Pakistan.
The Pakistan cricket team made its Test cricket debut in 1952 and has since become one of the most successful teams in modern cricket. The team reached the semi-finals of the 1979,1983, 1987 World Cups, and finals in 1992 and 1999, and won the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup by defeating England in the final.
History
Cricket in Pakistan has a history of even before the creation of the country in 1947. The first ever international cricket match in Karachi was held on 22 November 1935 between Sindh and Australian cricket teams. The match was seen by 5,000 Karachiites.Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, cricket in the country developed rapidly and Pakistan was given Test match status at a meeting of theImperial Cricket Conference at Lord's Cricket Ground in England on 28 July 1952 following recommendation by India,which, being the successor state of theBritish Raj, did not have to go through such a process. The first captain of the Pakistan national cricket team was Abdul Hafeez 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 bowlerFazal Mahmood took 12 wickets. Pakistan's first home Test match was inBangabandhu National Stadium, Dacca, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). in January 1955 against India, after which four more Test matches were played inBahawalpur, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi (all five matches in the series were drawn, the first such occurrence in test history).
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 contests with India in the Cricket World Cup have seen packed stadiums and elevated atmospheres no matter where the World Cup has been held. However the fans love their team.
Following the Partition of India in 1947, and the establishment of the separate nation state of Pakistan, it was not long before the latter was accepted into the Test fold at a meeting of the Imperial Cricket Conference in July 1952, after being recommended by India. Pakistan's first Test match took place in Delhi in October 1952 and its first home five-day encounter was held in Dacca (also against India) in January 1955.
International Competition
After three successive appearances in the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup, Pakistan made it one step further in 1992 when Imran Khan led his side to a 22-run win. It reached the final again in 1999 but failed to get out of the group stages in the last two competitions. Pakistan did almost win the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 2007 but it fell agonisingly short in the final against India, although it managed to defeat Sri Lanka to win the 2009 event at Lord's. Pakistan is a mercurial team in all forms of the game - capable of beating the best yet also slumping to humiliating losses when least expected. Security issues means it is currently unable to play matches in its homeland, meaning England played host to one-day and Test series against Australia and the home nation in 2010. In the years that have followed, UAE has consistently served as host to Pakistan.
Domestic Cricket
The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is Pakistan's premier first-class competition and was first contested in 1953. A mixture of 11 regional teams and departments compete in two groups with the winners of each contesting the final. The Pentagular Cup is another first-class competition, this time contested by five teams. The premier one-day tournament is the ABN Amro Cup (played as four 50-over leagues followed by a Super Eight phase leading to semi-finals and a final) as well as a 20-over tournament.
All-time Great
