Asif Iqbal: the quick-footed batsman with the elegant cover drive

Asif Iqbal is among the players who stood out for their style in Pakistan’s batting in the 1960s and 1970s. According to ESPNcricinfo, he was a dashing and daring cricketer who played for Pakistan and the English county Kent, and his batting was full of light footwork and fearless cover drives². In 58 Tests, he scored 3,575 runs at an average of 38.85, including 11 centuries¹.

Early life and start of career

Asif Iqbal Razvi was born on 6 June 1943 in Hyderabad (Deccan), India. In the cricket world he was also known as “Jimmy”. According to ESPNcricinfo, he learnt his cricket in Hyderabad and then moved to Pakistan. In first-class cricket, he represented Hyderabad (India), Karachi, Kent, National Bank and PIA².

At first he was better known for his bowling than his batting. According to ESPNcricinfo, he opened the bowling for Pakistan with outswing, and later focused on batting². His Test career began against Australia in Karachi on 24 October 1964, where he took the new ball and claimed 2 wickets for 68 runs. In the same match he was dismissed for 41 at number ten in the first innings¹.

A few weeks later, his bowling was at its peak on the tour of New Zealand. On 22 January 1965 in Wellington, he took 5 wickets for 48 runs, his best Test bowling figures, and also scored an unbeaten 52 in the same match. He then took 5 for 52 in Auckland and 4 for 46 in Christchurch. In 8 Tests played in New Zealand, he took 19 wickets at an average of just 14.89¹.

The Oval century and the peak of his batting

Asif Iqbal’s batting was properly introduced on the 1967 tour of England. After scoring 76 at number nine at Lord’s on 27 July 1967, he came in again at number nine in the second innings of the Test that began at The Oval on 24 August 1967. He scored 146 in 200 minutes with 21 fours and 2 sixes. In the same innings, Intikhab Alam made 51 at number ten³. It was his first Test century¹.

He then moved up the batting order and a series of big innings followed. He made an unbeaten 104 in Birmingham on 3 June 1971, and 175 against New Zealand in Dunedin on 7 February 1973 in an innings of 275 minutes, his highest Test score. Pakistan won that Test in Dunedin. A few weeks later, on 2 March 1973, he scored 102 against England in Lahore¹.

His bat was in fine form in the 1976-77 season. After 166 in 334 minutes against New Zealand in Lahore on 9 October 1976, he scored an unbeaten 152 in Adelaide on 24 December 1976 and 120 in Sydney on 14 January 1977 on the tour of Australia. On the tour of the West Indies, he then scored 135 with 20 fours in the fourth innings in Kingston on 15 April 1977. On Australian soil, he scored 681 runs in 9 Tests at an average of 45.4, with 3 centuries¹.

Centuries kept coming in the later years: 104 against India in Faisalabad on 16 October 1978, 104 against New Zealand in Napier on 16 February 1979, and an unbeaten 134 against Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth on 24 March 1979¹.

Captaincy and one-day cricket

In the early years of one-day cricket, Asif Iqbal scored 330 runs in 10 matches at an average of 55 and a strike rate of 70.81, including 5 half-centuries. He captained Pakistan in 6 of those matches between 1975 and 1979. On 13 June 1979 in Nottingham, he scored 61 off 57 balls against Australia. His last one-day international was against the West Indies at The Oval on 20 June 1979, in which he took 4 wickets for 56 runs, his best ODI bowling figures¹.

In Test cricket, he led Pakistan in 6 Tests on the 1979-80 tour of India. His notable innings on that tour were 55 in Bangalore and 64 in Delhi. His last Test began at Eden Gardens, Calcutta, on 29 January 1980¹.

Statistics

Source: ESPNcricinfo Statsguru¹. The figures are for his international career.

Impact and legacy

Asif Iqbal’s figures tell the story of a player who arrived as a new-ball bowler and left as a major batsman. In the 10 Tests Pakistan won, his batting average was 58.38, with 3 centuries. He was also useful with the ball: he took 26 wickets at an average of 19.42 in 17 Tests against New Zealand¹.

After leaving the game, he also worked as an ICC match referee, and did so in one Test and 3 one-day internationals between India and Zimbabwe in March 1993². His cricket is still remembered for his quick footwork, the beauty of his cover drive and the big centuries he scored abroad.