Cricinfo - Players and Officials

Full name Shahid Nazir
Born December 4, 1977, Faisalabad, Punjab
Current age 30 years 314 days
Major teams Pakistan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala Cricket Association, Habib Bank Limited, ICL Pakistan XI, Lahore Badshahs, National Bank of Pakistan, Northumberland
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

194

12.12

418

46.41

ODIs

25.00

58.13

First-class

119

149

1509

60*

12.57

List A

251

13.94

Twenty20

0.00

Bowling averages

Mat

Inns

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

Tests

2234

1272

5/53

7/98

35.33

3.41

62.0

ODIs

810

649

3/14

34.15

4.80

42.6

First-class

119

17659

9099

434

7/39

20.96

3.09

40.6

List A

3563

2435

100

5/30

24.35

4.10

35.6

Twenty20

105

106

4/11

13.25

6.05

13.1

Career statistics

Test debut

Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura, Oct 17-21, 1996 scorecard

Last Test

South Africa v Pakistan at Cape Town, Jan 26-28, 2007 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut

England v Pakistan at Nottingham, Sep 1, 1996 scorecard

Last ODI

Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Lahore, Feb 19, 2000 scorecard

ODI statistics

First-class debut

1995/96

Last First-class

Habib Bank Limited v Water and Power Development Authority at Sheikhupura, Nov 19-22, 2007 scorecard

List A debut

1995/96

Last List A

Habib Bank Limited v Pakistan International Airlines at Lahore, Mar 23, 2007 scorecard

Twenty20 debut

Faisalabad Wolves v Quetta Bears at Lahore, Apr 26, 2005 scorecard

Last Twenty20

Abbottabad Rhinos v Faisalabad Wolves at Karachi, Dec 24, 2006 scorecard

Shahid Nazir, like Fazl-e-Akbar, is from a school of fast-medium pacers who have lorded over the domestic circuit without quite ridding people of the suspicion that they lacked something to make an impact internationally. As a fast-medium bowler of healthy pace, Nazir's entry into international cricket in 1996-97 was impressive enough. Seven wickets on debut against Zimbabwe were impressive but ultimately overshadowed by Wasim Akram's 257. It has been the way with his career so far.

His pace and ability to swing and seam the ball, extravagantly in helpful conditions, meant he played a vital part in Pakistan's only triangular triumph in Australia (the Carlton & United series in 1996-97) in the final stages though his contribution was overshadowed by the emergence of Mohammad Zahid and the blistering pace he generated earlier in the tournament.

Essentially that period - match-fixing rife, Wasim and Waqar in confrontation, Aaqib Javed on the decline and splits in the team - marked Nazir's best opportunity to cement a place for himself. He didn't and was soon plying his trade - albeit very successfully - on the domestic circuit. At some point, all that domestic success had to keep him in the frame, especially with Pakistan's first-choice pace attack after the 2003 World Cup so injury-prone. It eventually did with a recall to the squad in 2005; he didn't play any role for some time but with Pakistan missing three front-line pacers on the tour to England in 2006, there was always a chance that he would return. So it was, at the third Test at Headingley - a ground ideal for his brand of bowling - that Nazir returned to Test cricket, over seven years after his last Test.

He played in the series against West Indies and toured South Africa but could only manage 13 wickets in five matches. The emergence of Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul affected Nazir's hopes of a comeback, which he jeopardised further by joining the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.
Osman Samiuddin (February 2008)

Jan 14, 2007

Shahid Nazir is finally cleaned up after making a Test best of 40 © AFP

Jan 13, 2007

Shahid Nazir appeals against Herschelle Gibbs © AFP

Jan 12, 2007

Shahid Nazir attempts an upper cut and succeeds © AFP

View the full list of 14 related images