source:(google.com)
Mohammad Yousuf (formerly Yousuf Youhana, born 27 August 1974,
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani cricketer who has been a member of the
Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. He is best known for his achievement
in 2006 when he broke the great West Indian batsman, Sir Vivian Richards',
world record for the most Test runs in a single calendar year. Prior to his
conversion to Islam in 2005, Yousuf was one of the few Christians to play in
the Pakistan national cricket team. He made his Test debut against South Africa
at Durban and ODI debut against Zimbabwe at Harare. He has scored over 9,000
ODI runs at an average of 43.63 (2rd highest batting average among Pakistani
batsmen after Zaheer Abbas and 6,770 Test runs at an average of 55.49 (highest
batting average amongst all Pakistani batsmen) with 23 Test centuries. He has
the record of scoring the most runs without being dismissed in ODIs, 405
against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe in 2002-03. He has also scored a 23-ball fifty in
ODIs, and a 68-ball hundred. In Tests he has scored a 27-ball fifty, which is
3rd fastest by any player. He was top scorer during the successive years of
2002 and 2003 in the world in ODIs. In 2004, he scored a memorable 111 against
the Australians in the Boxing Day Test. In December 2005, he scored 223 against
England at Lahore, also earning him the man of the match award. Seven months
later in July 2006, when Pakistan toured England, he scored 202 and 48 in the
first Test, again earning himself the man of the match award. He followed up
with 192 in the third Test at Headingley and 128 in the final Test at the Oval.
Yousuf was named CNN-IBN.s Cricketer of the Year for 2006, ahead of the likes
of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, West Indies Brian Lara, Australian spinner
Shane Warne, South Africa.s bowling spearhead Makhaya Ntini and Sri Lanka.s
Muttiah Muralitharan. He was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the
2007 edition. Yousuf became the fourth recipient of the ICC 'Test Cricketer of
the Year' award for 2007, he scored 944 runs at an average of 94.40 including
five centuries and two fifties in just 10 innings and that was enough to be
awarded the honour ahead of Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting. Yousuf was also
named in the 2007 Test team of the Year alongside compatriot Mohammad Asif. A
year that started on a promising note, Yousuf carried it forward to break two
world records both held earlier by West Indian great Sir Vivian Richards. The
32-year-old smashed an unparalleled 1788 runs in just 11 Test matches with the
help of nine centuries . his second record . taking him beyond the Windies
great yet again. Yousuf is known for his ability to score runs at exceptional
rate through his great technique and composed strokeplay. Although capable of
hitting the ball hard, Yousuf is quick between the wickets, although he is
prone to being run out. Yousuf is a skillful infielder, with a report prepared
in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he had effected the
ninth highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman. He is also
distinguished by his characteristic celebration after hitting one hundred runs
for his country, where he prostrates in thankfulness to Allah in the direction
of Mecca. He has observed this act (known as the Sajdah) recently since his
conversion to Islam.
Major teams Pakistan, Asia XI, Bahawalpur, Lahore, Lahore
Badshahs, Lancashire, Pakistan International Airlines, Warwickshire, Water and
Power Development Authority, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Mohammad Yousuf Profile
Until his conversion to Islam in 2005, Mohammad Yousuf (formely
known as Yousuf Youhana) was one of a handful of Christians to play for
Pakistan. After a difficult debut against South Africa in 1997-98, he quickly
established himself as a stylish world-class batsman, and a pillar of
Pakistan's middle order, alongside Inzamam-ul-Haq. He is no sluggard, but
gathers his runs through orthodox, composed strokeplay, unlike some of his
colleagues who seldom hint at permanence. He is particularly strong driving
through the covers and flicking wristily off his legs and brings with him as
decadent and delicious a backlift as any in the game. A tendency to overbalance
when playing across his front leg can get him into trouble. He excels at both
versions of the game, and in one-day cricket can score 20 or 30 runs before
anyone notices. He is quick between the wickets although not necessarily the
best judge of a single. There had been questions about his temperament as
batsman when the pressure is on, but between 2004 and 2005, he began to silence
critics. First came a spellbindingly languid century against the Australians in
Melbourne, as captain to boot, where he ripped into Shane Warne like few
Pakistani batsmen have before or since. A century in the cauldron of Kolkatta
followed but he ended the year with possibly his most important knock: a double
century against England at Lahore so easy on the eye, you almost didn't notice
it. With Inzamam missing through injury for parts of the innings, Yousuf
displayed an unusual responsibility, eschewing the waftiness that has
previously blighted him. In 2006, Yousuf truly came of age in a record-breaking
year. He began by plundering India and continued in England, not just scoring
under pressure, but scoring big. A double ton at Lord's was followed by another
big hundred at Headingly and the Oval. He rounded off a fantastic year with
four hundreds in three Tests against the West Indies, a feat that took him past
Viv Richards's long-standing record of most Test runs in a calendar year and
also saw him establish the record for most Test hundreds (9) in a year. With
Inzamam nearing a natural end, the credentials of Yousuf as Pakistan's premier
batsman are impressive.
He changed his name from Yousuf Youhana on converting to Islam in
September 2005
Teams: Pakistan (Test: 1997/98-2010); Pakistan (ODI:
1997/98-2010/11); Asian Cricket Council XI (ODI: 2004/05-2007); Pakistan (Int
Twenty20: 2006-2010); Bahawalpur (Main FC: 1996/97); Water and Power
Development Authority (Main FC: 1997/98-2009/10); Lahore City (Main FC:
1997/98); Lahore Blues (Main FC: 2000/01); Pakistan International Airlines
(Main FC: 2001/02); Lahore (Main FC: 2003/04); Lancashire (Main FC: 2008);
Lahore Shalimar (Main FC: 2010/11); Warwickshire (Main FC: 2011); Bahawalpur
(Main ListA: 1996/97); Pakistan International Airlines (Main ListA:
1999/00-2001/02); Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (Main ListA: 2002/03); Lahore
(Main ListA: 2003/04); Water and Power Development Authority (Main ListA:
2007/08-2008/09); Lancashire (Main ListA: 2008); Lahore Lions (Main ListA:
2010/11); Warwickshire (Main ListA: 2011); Lahore Lions (Main Twenty20:
2004/05-2011); Islamabad Leopards.
English County Update: Mohammad Yousuf got out after scoring
109-smashing 13 fours and 1 SIX for Warwickshire against Worcestershire, on a
poor pitch. Yousuf, defying a treacherous pitch quite unsuited for this level
of cricket, gave a masterful demonstration of batting to record the 30th
century of his first-class career. Well Done MoYo!
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf
No comments:
Post a Comment