Abdul Razzaq

Abdul Razzaq is a former Pakistani cricketer and current coach who played all formats of the game. He was a gifted all-rounder, functioning as both a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. Throughout his professional career, he represented his country in 46 Tests and 265 One Day Internationals.

Early life and education

Abdul Razzaq was born on 2 December 1979, in Shahdara Bagh. This suburb sits on the outskirts of Lahore, Punjab, and is recognized for its Mughal architecture. He was inspired to pursue fast bowling by Wasim Akram.

Career

His breakthrough occurred during the 1996 Pakistan Under-19s tour of the West Indies. He took 17 wickets and contributed with the bat during this period, which helped him secure a place in the senior national side. Razzaq made his One Day International debut in November 1996 against Zimbabwe at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. This debut happened just one month before his seventeenth birthday.

He waited until November 1999 to make his Test cricket debut, which took place against Australia in Brisbane. During the 1999 Cricket World Cup held in England, he became a regular member of the squad. He scored 60 runs in a partnership with Inzamam-ul-Haq against Australia to help Pakistan reach a target of 275. This performance assisted the team in qualifying for the Super Six stage. He also took three wickets for 32 runs against the West Indies at Bristol.

The year 2000 brought significant milestones for the all-rounder. He became the youngest cricketer in the world to take a Test cricket hat-trick during a match against Sri Lanka. In the Carlton and United Series, he earned the man of the series award. During a pre-finals match against India, he scored 70 not out and took 5 wickets for 48 runs. This feat made him only the fifth all-rounder to score a half-century and take five wickets in an ODI.

Razzaq achieved his highest ODI score of 112 runs against South Africa in 2002. He shared a partnership of 257 runs with Saleem Elahi during that specific match. In November 2003, he scored 47 runs off 22 balls to secure a three-wicket win against New Zealand in Lahore. New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming later described him as the "best hitter" in the world after Razzaq scored 89 runs from 40 balls in a subsequent match.

His bowling career included a notable performance in October 1999 at Sharjah against Sri Lanka. While Pakistan was bowled out for 196, Razzaq took 5 wickets for 31 runs to force a tie. His best bowling figures in an ODI match stand at 6 wickets for 35 runs. Although he faced a decline in speed during the 2003 World Cup, he regained his pace between 2005 and 2006.

After his international retirement in 2013, he served short stints as a coach for various domestic teams in Pakistan. He announced a comeback to the domestic circuit in 2018 at the age of 38. This return allowed him to play first-class cricket once again.

Personal life

Razzaq's son, Ali Razzaq, is also a cricketer. During his playing days, teammates gave him the nickname 'Popeye' because he reportedly suffered from nausea caused by eating too much spinach.

Awards and recognition

He was named man of the series for his performance in the 2000 Carlton and United Series. He also earned man of the match honors for his nine-ball spell against Sri Lanka in 1999. Razzaq was a member of the Pakistan squad that won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009. Additionally, he was part of the team that finished as runners-up during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.