Pakistani cricket has a history
of legendary athletes who showed great performances in the past in the limited
overs and test cricket matches. We have a long list of great batsmen and bowlers
making impact worldwide. Starting the innings has been always a challenge for
Pakistani cricketers. A lot of new youngsters have been tried during the years
have failed to open the innings effectively. But here are a few most effective
and legendary openers Pakistan team ever had
HANIF MUHAMMAD:
Hanif Muhammad was born in 1934 and was former Pakistani cricketer. He played
for Pakistan till 1976. The highest of Hanif's Test centuries was a famous 337
made against Indies. This was the only triple century made in second innings. In
1958/59, he surpassed Don Bradman's record for the highest individual
first-class innings. Along with Javed Miandad and Imran Khan,Hanif was included
in the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.
AAMER SOHAIL:
Born in 1966 Sohail's first appeared for the national team in a 1990 one-day
International against Sri Lanka.Vert aggressive, Sohail formed one half of
Pakistan's last successful and stable opening pairs with Saeed Anwar. He scored
double-hundred at Old Trafford in 1992. He was also a good spinner and a bowler.
He captained the Pakistani side at numerous occasions including 1996 world cup
quarter final in India. Sohail was at the heart of the match-fixing scandal that
shocked cricket in the 1990s; his whistle-blowing may have negatively affected
his international career.
SAEED ANWAR:
Born in 1968 in Karachi, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against
India in Chennai in 1997.He was in and out of team in early career. Saeed Anwar
graduated from NED University, Karachi in 1989 and is an engineer by profession.
He faced a personal tragedy in 2001, when his daughter died after a prolonged
illness. On August 15, 2003, he announced his retirement from Cricket His magic
was in his wrists, and he had such timing and sense of placement that poor
footwork hardly mattered.
MAJID KHAN:
Majid remains one of the country's most stylish opening batsmenMajid's Test
career started in 1964 against Australia but he became renowned in 1967 when
Pakistan toured EnglandMajid Khan and his cousins (sons of his mother's sisters)
Imran Khan and Javed Burki spent their careers playing cricket at Oxford and
professionallyMajid played his last test for Pakistan in January 1983 vs India
at Lahore.
MUDASSAR NAZAR:
A solid contrast to his regular partner, the flashier Mohsin Khan, Mudassar was
a batsman of immense patience, though not as compact as Hanif or with as many
strokes. He holds the record for the slowest Test hundred, and alongside his
father, Nazar Mohammad, is one of only four Pakistanis to carry their bat
through a completed innings. In the right conditions, a more than handy swing
bowler.
SADIQ MUHAMMAD:
A right-hander at birth, he was told to switch by elder brothers Hanif and Wazir
because they felt he had more of a chance of succeeding that way. Sadiq was
immensely brave, like all the Mohammad brothers, once saving a Test against West
Indies with a heroic unbeaten 98, made after bearing a fierce facial injury.
Loved taking on faster bowlers and scored runs in what were for Pakistanis tough
conditions. Pakistan's success in the 70s was based on his partnership with
Majid.
MOHSIN HASSAN KHAN:
A stylist in the Majid mould, Mohsin was amazing to watch. He was born in 1955.
He retired from international cricket to pursue a film career He later married
Bollywood movie star Reena Roy Movies he featured in includes Gunehgar Kaun,
Laatsaab, Pratikaar, Fateh, Saathi, etc. He has since divorced Roy and
remarried. As well as the Lord's double-hundred, he scored big runs on the
bouncy surfaces of Australia. On 2 March, 2010 Pakistan have named Mohsin Khan
as Iqbal Qasim's successor as chief selector of the national cricket team