Razzaq's double and most nervous nineties

Pakistan's Muhammad Yousuf completed his 7000 runs in ODIs. He achieved this feat when he scored a single during the third match of the series against India at Lahore. He became only the 21st batsman overall to reach this milestone. It is interesting to note that Yousuf is yet to score 7000 ODI career runs while playing for Pakistan. After the third match of the ongoing series, his tally of runs now stands at 6953 runs from 206 games. The remaining 47 runs are those which he scored while playing for Asian XI and World XI in 2005. Table 1, 2, 3 & 4 gives statistical analysis of Yousuf's ODI batting career.

* Shoaib Malik smashed his third successive 90-plus score in as many as matches. He has now totaled 293 runs in eight days since the start of the ODI series on February 6, 2006. This is now the eleventh highest aggregate of runs by a Pakistani batsman in eight consecutive days. See Table 5.

* Abdul Razzaq became the fifth all-rounder to achieve the double of 200 wickets and 4000 runs in one-day internationals. Curiously enough, he is yet to complete this feat while playing for Pakistan because 49 of his 4030 runs came for Asian XI and World XI, just as in Yousuf's case above.

* Sachin was dismissed in the 90s for the tenth time in his career. This created a new world record of most nineties by a batsman in ODIs. He shared the previous record of nine 90s with Aravinda de Silva and Andy Flower. Had Sachin not missed any of these ten century making opportunities he would have been just one short of his 50th ton in ODIs today.Click to see the tables

One man, different arts

Man is mortal but not his art. I sometimes feel if I get a chance to rebirth I would beseech my Allah to recreate me as an artist. My cricket writing, captivation for records, statistics and programming on my cricket stats database is perhaps just another way of satisfying the never ending desire to remain in the world of creativity. My blog is mainly for my cricketing reasons but there are some exceptions in life. My friend Malik Talal Hussain spared his special time to produce this sketch. Although, a non-professional artist, who has never attended or studied fine arts, but it was just his natural fascination with the canvas’ alongside with his various tools, which lets him escape from the world of sorrow, grief and despair to the realm of art. But Talal thinks otherwise, his poetic remarks are enthralling: “Writing poetry doesn’t make you a poet, drawing sketches doesn’t make you an artist, and driving bikes doesn’t make you a GP racer. It’s not what people think or say who you are, its what you think you should be that really matters.� He is an ardent lover of bikes and can travel miles to know and share his passion for the same. That’s not all about him. So, if you are interested to know more about him or have an interest in bikes then my friend would love to listen from you.Visit him

Unusual dismissals and successful run-chases

* Inzamam-ul-Haq became only the third batsman and the second Pakistani to be dismissed obstructing the field in the annals of ODI cricket. Almost eighteen years ago on November 20, 1987, during the second game of the three match series against England at Karachi, Rameez Raja had the double agony of being dismissed on 99 and that too by obstructing the field. On the final ball of the match Pakistan required an impossible 25 runs and Raja was unbeaten on 98. He set off for two runs after pushing the last ball of the day to mid-wicket but while completing his second run he deliberately stopped the ball with his bat, thus preventing wicket-keeper Bruce French, who had rolled the ball in an attempt to break the wicket at the bowler's end, from running him out. Interestingly, Raja completed a hat-trick of unusual dismissals against England in 1987. First he was incorrectly given run out when walking for a catch off a no-ball in a Benson & Hedges Challenge Cup mach at Perth, and then run out without facing a ball at The Oval in a Texaco Trophy game in May, before becoming the first batsman on the planet to be given out obstructing the fielder in ODIs six months later. The second batsman after Rameez was, India’s Mohinder Amarnath who did so against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad on October 22, 1989. After playing defensively to Sri Lankan pace bowler Kapila Wijegunawardene, Amarnath stepped out of the crease to take a run but seeing the bowler charging down the track, kicked the ball in order to prevent the bowler from running him out. He was given out by Pakistani umpire Khizer Hayat.

* The match aggregate of 639 runs was sixth occasion when 600 runs or more in an ODI on Pakistan soil were registered. Pakistan also registered its sixth 300 (or plus) score while batting second in a one-day international. It was their third such performance against India and the fourth by any side overall. See Table 1, 2, & 3.

* Sachin Tendulkar became he first batsman in ODI cricket to post 14000 runs. He also extended his world his world record number of centuries to 39 after his superb innings at Peshawar. Table 5, 6 & 7 gives statistical analysis of Sachin’s ODI batting career.Click to see the tables