Pakistan Cricket Player: Mushtaq Ahmed

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Mushtaq Ahmed

Mushtaq Ahmed Biography

Mushtaq Ahmed (Urdu: مشتاق احمد) (born 28 June 1970) is a retired Pakistani cricketer who specialised as a leg spin bowler. He was known for his hard-to-pick googly. He memorably trapped Graeme Hick in front with one during the 1992 World Cup final. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997. Nevertheless, despite taking over 150 One Day International and Test wickets, he hasn't played international cricket since October 2003. He is now the spin bowling coach for the England Cricket Team.

However, he has played a lot of county cricket in England, including for Somerset and Surrey earlier in his career and more recently for Sussex.

In 2003, Mushtaq was the leading wicket taker in county cricket, finishing the season with 103 and inspiring Sussex to its first County Championship title. Following this, he was recalled by Pakistan but was soon dropped for being ineffective. In the 2004 season, Mushtaq was again the leading wicket taker in English county cricket with 84 scalps, but with Danish Kaneria's emergence as Pakistan's first-choice leg spinner, Mushtaq's international career was over.

In December 2006, the PCB appointed Mushtaq as assistant coach of the Pakistan team.[1] He acted as interim coach for team's final game of the 2007 World Cup following the death of Bob Woolmer.[2]

In 2006, Mushtaq (or "Mushy" as he is best known to Sussex fans) took 102 wickets as Sussex once more won the County Championship, as well as the C&G Trophy. He began the last Championship match of the season, against Nottinghamshire, on 89 wickets, but a haul of 13 in the match (including a career-best 9-48 in the second innings) took him past the hundred mark once again.

In 2007, Sussex won the County Championship for the second time in two years, again helped greatly by Mushtaq, who took 90 wickets.

Mushtaq Ahmed