Azhar Ali is a Pakistani former international cricketer.
36 Facts About Azhar Ali
2.
Azhar Ali captained Pakistan national team in Test and ODI cricket.
3.
An agile right-hand batter and a part-time leg-break bowler, Azhar Ali became the first ever centurion, double Centurion as well as triple centurion in a Day and Night Test Match, when he scored 302 against West Indies in October 2016.
4.
Azhar Ali was a major contributor to helping his country win the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, where in the final, he scored 59 runs.
5.
Azhar Ali was the captain of Lahore Qalandars in the first edition of the Pakistan Super League.
6.
Azhar Ali's father Muhammad Rafiq is an athlete, having participated in different marathons, in 2021 winning a gold medal in Sheikhupura's 21 KM marathon race at the age of 76.
7.
Azhar Ali's son Ibtisam Azhar is a cricketer as well, playing as an all-rounder.
8.
Azhar Ali started playing cricket primarily as a bowler when he was aged 13.
9.
Azhar Ali made his first-class debut in 2002, at the age of 16, as a leg spinner.
10.
In 2016, Azhar Ali was appointed captain of Lahore Qalandars in the first edition of Pakistan Super League.
11.
Azhar Ali played 7 matches and scored 180 runs in the Tournament.
12.
On 16 July 2018, Azhar Ali signed for Somerset for the final seven matches of the County Championship season, replacing the injured Matt Renshaw.
13.
Azhar Ali subsequently scored a century in his debut match for Somerset, against Worcestershire.
14.
Azhar Ali struggled in the first two Tests against England, recording a 32-ball duck during the second match as Pakistan were bundled out for 72.
15.
Azhar Ali scored half centuries in both innings of the first Test, and helped Pakistan, chasing an improbable 451, avoid defeat with a crucial fourth-innings partnership with the returning Younus Khan.
16.
Azhar Ali top-scored with 90 in the first innings of the second Test, before producing another solid performance alongside captain Misbah-ul-Haq in the second innings, finishing unbeaten after facing 135 deliveries to secure another draw.
17.
Azhar Ali was picked in both the ODI and the Test squad for the Sri Lankan tour in 2012.
18.
Azhar Ali was impressive in the ODIs by scoring 96 in the 2nd ODI and 81* in the 4th ODI, and became the second Pakistani to carry his bat after Saeed Anwar.
19.
Azhar Ali finished the series as the leading run-scorer for Pakistan Ali made his 4th Test hundred and finished on 157 in the 1st innings of the 2nd Test at SSC.
20.
Azhar Ali continued his good form and made consecutive centuries as he scored 136 in the 2nd innings.
21.
Azhar Ali scored a half century in the first Test before being dismissed for 51.
22.
Azhar Ali came to the side with good scores of 62 and 101, his maiden ODI century but could not prevent his team from the whitewash.
23.
Azhar Ali scored his second ODI century in front of the home crowd in the second ODI.
24.
Azhar Ali scored most of the runs in this series, and became the Fastest Pakistani batsman to 1000 ODI runs, scoring them in only 21 innings.
25.
Ahmed Shehzad spoke at the end of the game praising Azhar Ali for allowing him to play his natural game.
26.
Azhar Ali had a good Test tour highlight of which was 139 against England in Birmingham in a losing effort.
27.
Azhar Ali finished as the second highest runscorer for Pakistan in the Test series.
28.
Azhar Ali scored 208 runs in 5 innings including two scores of 80 and 82.
29.
Azhar Ali's tally was the second most of any Pakistani in that series.
30.
Azhar Ali was criticized for his captaincy as well as low personal scoring rate.
31.
Azhar Ali quashed all such rumors and vowed to continue as captain of ODI team.
32.
Azhar Ali scored his 3rd ODI hundred in the 3rd match of the series and became the first Pakistani captain to score 3 centuries as captain.
33.
Azhar Ali was named in the Test XI of the year 2016 by Cricinfo.
34.
Azhar Ali scored a double century in the second Test match at Melbourne, which is recorded as the highest Test score by a Pakistani player in Australia and the second highest Test score by a visiting player at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
35.
Azhar Ali was named as the captain of the Test side in his place.
36.
Azhar Ali has scored 19 centuries in Test matches and three in ODIs.