Profile

Shoaib Malik, a cricketing polymath, embarked on a career spanning nearly two decades, morphing from an off-spinner to arguably one of Pakistan’s most reliable batsmen in limited-overs cricket. His water-tight defense, complemented by elegant horizontal bat shots and lofted drives, transforms the Sialkot-born cricketer into a spectacle for the fans. Despite a game of musical chairs throughout his career regarding his batting position, be it as a solid opener, a dependable number 3, a workman middle-order bat, or a manufactured slogger, Malik’s adaptability has been both his strength and challenge.

Debuting at 17 against West Indies in October 1999 as an off-spinner, Malik’s trajectory shifted towards batting, earning him accolades. Promoted to number 4, he seized the opportunity with a century against West Indies at Sharjah, and as an opener, he dazzled with another splendid ton against New Zealand in Lahore. While his bowling faced a setback in 2004 with a suspect action report (later cleared), his re-modeled action slightly diminished his potency, yet his batting prowess secured his spot in the shorter formats.

Known for his affinity for India, Malik’s top three ODI scores are against the arch-rivals, including a stellar 143 in 2004 and a majestic 128 in 2009. Despite a lukewarm Test career from 2001 to 2015, punctuated by sporadic appearances, Malik’s swansong series included a double century. However, inconsistency marked his Test journey, contrasting with his memorable 148* off 369 balls against Sri Lanka in 2006.

As ODI captain, Malik faced turbulent weather, leading to his sacking in 2009 after a humiliating loss to Sri Lanka. His cricketing acumen, acknowledged by the late Bob Woolmer, often clashed with senior players, leading to a ban by PCB post the 2009-10 Australia tour. Revoked after a few months, Malik continued to thrive in T20 cricket, captaining Pakistan to the T20 World Cup finals in 2007 and contributing to their triumph in 2009.

Despite being dropped after the 2013 Champions Trophy, Malik’s comeback post the 2015 World Cup showcased an impressive surge in average and strike rate. With a fervent desire to represent Pakistan until the 2019 World T20, Shoaib Malik remains a vital asset for the limited-overs team, ensuring a promising future for Pakistan in white-ball cricket.

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World Cup Through The Years

In a decisive declaration, Shoaib Malik has affirmed that the approaching 2019 global Cup will mark his very last appearance in the 50-over layout on the global degree. regardless of his outstanding standing in Pakistan cricket, spanning back to his debut in 1999, it may come as a surprise that this high-profile cricketer has participated in best one international Cup. His lone appearance changed into inside the tumultuous 2007 campaign, in which Malik emerged as a lone shiny spot, contributing a scintillating sixty two off 54 balls within the beginning match against West Indies. however, his stellar attempt could not salvage Pakistan from defeat. in this world Cup, Malik is set to play a pivotal position as the finisher, with Pakistan counting on his seasoned revel in to navigate them via aggravating encounters and emerge positive.

Source By: cricbuzz.com