Zulfiqar Babar



Zulfiqar Babar (born 10 December 1978, Okara, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a left-arm spinner and right-handed batsman with plenty of experience.He has represented Pakistan Cricket Team, Multan Tigers, Quetta Bears, Water and Power Development Authority and Pakistan A cricket team.[1]

Zulfiqar Babar
Personal information
Born
10 December 1978 (age 37)
OkaraPunjab, Pakistan
Batting style
Right-hand bat
Bowling style
Slow left-arm orthodox
Role
International information
National side
·         Pakistan
Test debut (cap 215)
14–17 October 2013 v South Africa
Last Test
01-05 November 2015 v England
ODI debut
7 October 2014 v Australia
Last ODI
22 April 2015 v Bangladesh
T20I debut (cap 52)
27 July 2013 v West Indies
Last T20I
1 April 2014 v West Indies
T20I shirt no.
78
Domestic team information
Years
Team
2004–Present
2005–2010 & 2013-2015
2011–2012
2016–Present
Career statistics
Competition
Matches
13
5
7
80
Runs scored
128
35
27
1,474
16.00
17.50
16.19
100s/50s
0/1
0/0
0/0
0/5
Top score
56
14*
13*
81
Balls bowled
4076
294
156
1,9461
51
4
12
390
38.82
61.50
15.41
22.80
5 wickets in innings
1
0
0
19
10 wickets in match
0
0
0
3
Best bowling
5/74
2/52
3/23
10/143
Catches/stumpings
2/-
0/-
1/-
26/–


Domestic career[edit]
The lack of top-class facilities, though, didn't diminish his hunger or ambition. Despite not breaking through to the national team earlier, Babar made sure his name was always in the reckoning by consistently being among the wickets.
In the 2009/10 Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, he took 69 wickets at 16.42. A national call-up didn't come about then, but the selectors couldn't look away when he took 93 first-class wickets in 13 games in the 2012/13 season, at an average of 17.04.
He sealed his case when he took 6 for 22 in a practice game between Pakistan Chief Ministers XI and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman's XI in October 2013.
International career[edit]
Babar made his T20I debut on 27 July 2013, against West Indies, one of the oldest Pakistani players to do so, aged 34 years 229 days.
Although Babar is Pakistan's second oldest T20 debutant after Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was 36 years 178 days, he is unfazed. He says,"I always leave such matters in the hands of Allah. Perhaps, it was my destiny to be playing for Pakistan at a time when people would be seriously considering other options in life."
He picked up 3 for 23 and was the highest wicket-taker for his team in the game. He also scored an invaluable 13* off 17 balls, and hit a six of the last ball of the innings to guide his team to a 2-wicket victory.[2] He also scored 11* off 6 balls in the next game and picked up 2 more wickets for 37.[3] He was the highest wicket-taker in the series and was named Man of the Series in his debut series.
Babar was named in the Test squad to play against South Africa in UAE in October 2013. He was chosen ahead of the regular spin bowler cricketer at Abu Dhabi Test.
He took 3 wickets of JP DuminyFaf du Plessis and Robin Peterson in first innings and took wicket of Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn in second Innings showing his spinning abilities helped Pakistan to win the match by seven wickets.
He made his One Day International debut for Pakistan against Australia in the United Arab Emirates on 7 October 2014.[4]
Personal life[edit]
Babar hails from Okara, a small town 85 miles away from Lahore and is the first from the town to play for Pakistan in 65 years.
Babar is the son of former Pakistani international footballer, Abdul Ghaffar, who played one game for Pakistan. Babar says his father never forced him to play soccer, knowing his son's passion for cricket. Babar has two grandsons with an interest in cricket.[5]

International Awards[edit]
Twenty20 International Cricket[edit]
Player of the Series Awards[edit]
#
Series
Season
Match Performance
Result
1
2013
8-0-60-5 with avg. 12.00 ; 24 runs.
 Pakistan won the series 2-0.[6]