Abdullah Shafique: “Mohammad Yousuf in his playing days was regarded as a top-class batter not only in Pakistan but also in world cricket”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Abdullah Shafique said Mohammad Yousuf was a “top-class batter” who dominated not only in Pakistan but also internationally.
Yousuf represented his country in 90 Tests and scored 7,530 runs, which included 24 centuries and 33 fifties, at an average of 52.29.
He also featured in 288 ODIs and accumulated 9,720 runs, which included 15 hundreds and 64 half-centuries, at an average of 41.71.
As for his T20I career, he made 50 runs in three matches at an average of 16.66.
The 49-year-old from Lahore also holds the record for the most Test runs scored in a calendar year as he amassed 1,788 runs in 11 Tests in 2006, which included nine centuries and three fifties, at an average of 99.33.
Shafique worked closely with Yousuf while he was Pakistan’s batting coach and knows just how skillful and knowledgeable he is.
“Mohammad Yousuf in his playing days was regarded as a top-class batter not only in Pakistan but also in world cricket,” he told PakPassion. “To have someone of that calibre advise you is simply incredible. To me Mohammad Yousuf’s style of batting with his high back-lift and elegance is what defines proper batsmanship. We were lucky that he was associated with the Pakistan team.
“Apart from his expert advice during practice, simply listening to his experience of how he tackled the world’s best bowlers under different and difficult conditions to come out on top was an education. Having such a great batter give us advice is something we the younger players will cherish forever and am sure will utilise that knowledge in the future as well.”
Shafique recently played in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka, where he accumulated 228 runs, which included a career-best knock of 201, at an average of 76.
He was also part of the squad for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which the men in green won 3-0, but didn’t feature in any of the games.
Next up for Shafique and the rest of the team will be the Asia Cup, which will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.
Pakistan Asia Cup squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir