Taslim Arif

Taslim Arif
Personal information
Full name
Taslim Arif Abbasi
Born(1954-05-01)1 May 1954
PIB Colony, Karachi, Pakistan
Died14 March 2008(2008-03-14) (aged 53)
Karachi, Pakistan
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
RoleWicket-keeper
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 82)29 January 1980 v India
Last Test8 December 1980 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 31)21 November 1980 v West Indies
Last ODI19 December 1980 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1967/68–1989/90Karachi
1967/68–1989/90NBP
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 6 2 148 40
Runs scored 501 28 7,568 853
Batting average 62.62 14.00 33.63 25.84
100s/50s 1/2 0/0 13/40 1/4
Top score 210* 24 210* 113*
Balls bowled 30 311
Wickets 1 7
Bowling average 28.00 30.28
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 1/28 4/46
Catches/stumpings 6/3 1/1 312/56 45/14
Source: ESPNcricinfo.com, 6 January 2008

Taslim Arif Abbasi (1 May 1954 – 14 March 2008) was a Pakistani cricketer who played in six Test matches and 2 One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 1980. His score of 210*[1] for Pakistan against Australia stood for more than 20 years as the highest score made by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket, until broken by Zimbabwean Andy Flower.[2] Arif died in Karachi from a lung infection in 2008. He was buried at Faisal Cantonment cemetery in Karachi.[3]

He went to a local government school in P.I.B colony Karachi. After finishing his matriculation he was admitted to National College Karachi on the basis of his cricket record. He continued to play for the college team in intercollegiate matches. His mentor Professor Mukarram Ali Khan Shirwani played a major role in introducing him to several selectors as an outstanding and budding wicketkeeper batsman. During his days in the college he had several team members who gained national duties. One of his teammates was Mohsin Hassan Khan who played for Pakistan as an opener and later became a national coach. Along with most of his teammates he was against political parties involvement in students politics. He actively supported Fasahat Ali Khan against Hussain Haqani of Islami Jamiate Talaba by bringing in the entire sports teams to vote which resulted in Fasahat winning the students union elections.

Record

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In September 1978, playing for National Bank against Punjab in Lahore, before he had made his international debut, Arif became the first Pakistani wicket keeper to effect ten dismissals in a first-class match.[4] His record was later broken by Wasim Yousoufi in 1997.

References

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  1. ^ WISDEN – Second Test Match – PAKISTAN v AUSTRALIA 1979–80, ESPNCricinfo, 13 March 2008, retrieved 22 April 2012
  2. ^ Records / Test matches / Batting records / Most runs in an innings by a wicketkeeper, ESPNCricinfo, 13 March 2008
  3. ^ Former Pakistan keeper Taslim Arif dies, ESPNCricinfo, 13 March 2008, retrieved 22 April 2012
  4. ^ "Taslim Arif on 10 September, 1978". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
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