Saeed Ahmed: the batsman of big centuries and glorious drives

Saeed Ahmed was a pillar of Pakistan’s batting in the 1950s and 1960s. He played strokes all around the wicket, but according to ESPNcricinfo his drive had no equal, going straight to the boundary before the bowler had completed his follow-through². His career can be summed up as 2,991 runs at an average of 40.41 and five centuries in 41 Tests¹.

Early life and start in cricket

Saeed Ahmed was born in Jullundur, now part of Indian Punjab, on 1 October 1937. He was a right-handed batsman and also bowled off-breaks. His half-brother, Younis Ahmed, was also a cricketer. His first-class career began in the 1954-55 season, and he represented several teams, including Karachi, Lahore, Punjab, PIA and Pakistan Railways².

His Test career began against the West Indies at Bridgetown on 17 January 1958. Saeed scored 13 in the first innings and 65 in the second¹.

508 runs in his first series

His very first series made Saeed Ahmed an important part of Pakistan’s batting. On that tour of the West Indies, he scored 508 runs in five Tests at an average of 56.44². After 64 in Port of Spain and 52 in Kingston, he made 150 with 16 fours in Georgetown on 13 March 1958, his first Test century. In the last Test of the series, at Port of Spain, he was out for 97, just 3 runs short of a second century¹.

According to ESPNcricinfo, he had a liking for big centuries: three of his five Test hundreds were of 150 or more². After the 150 in Georgetown, he scored 166 against Australia in Lahore on 21 November 1959, and played an innings of 91 in Karachi in the same series¹.

India, England and New Zealand

On the tour of India in 1960-61, Saeed Ahmed’s bat spoke loudly. With 121 at the Brabourne Stadium in Bombay on 2 December 1960 and 103 in Chennai (Madras) on 13 January 1961, he scored 460 runs in the series at an average of 51.11¹.

Against England he played 15 Tests and made six half-centuries, the best of them 74 in Lahore in October 1961. According to ESPNcricinfo, on the 1962 tour of England he changed his upright stance to a slight crouch to pick up fast bowlers better on seaming pitches, but the change brought limited benefit². Even so, he played innings of 65, 54 and 64 in Birmingham, Leeds and Nottingham on that tour¹.

The biggest innings of his career came in April 1965. In the Test that began in Karachi on 9 April, he batted for 350 minutes against New Zealand and made 172, with 18 fours and a six. Pakistan won the match, and his batting average in Tests won by Pakistan was 82.5. In the same season he also scored 87 in Christchurch and 68 in Rawalpindi¹.

Captaincy and final years

According to ESPNcricinfo, Saeed Ahmed captained Pakistan in three Tests in the 1968-69 season, and all three were drawn². In one of those matches, against England in Lahore on 21 February 1969, he took 4 wickets for 64 with his off-spin, his best Test bowling. As captain he took 9 wickets at an average of 24.88¹.

His last Test began against Australia in Melbourne on 29 December 1972, and in the first innings he scored 50 off 73 balls¹.

Statistics

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

Influence and legacy

According to ESPNcricinfo, Saeed Ahmed was a “terrific player”, and a Test average of over 40 bears this out². His average was 56.44 in the West Indies and 51.11 in India, meaning he scored his best runs away from home, against strong bowling. In 25 Tests away from home he scored 1,830 runs with three centuries¹.

Saeed Ahmed died in Lahore on 20 March 2024³. Among the batsmen of Pakistan’s early Test history, his name is remembered for his big centuries and his straight drive.