Playing Test cricket for their country is a dream for every young cricketer. Getting that special white jersey needs a lot of willpower, confidence, and dedication.
First-class cricket is where players have to show their skills to get a chance to play on the international stage. They make mistakes, learn, and gain experience until the selectors think they are ready to represent their country in Tests.
However, some players can’t perform as well in Test cricket as they do in first-class cricket. This can happen because of the pressure of international games or just bad luck.
Let’s look at the 5 Pakistani players who were amazing in domestic cricket but couldn’t show the same performance in Test cricket for their national team.
1. Mohammad Sami
A fast bowler who was crucial for Pakistan’s limited-overs team a decade ago couldn’t do much in Test cricket. On his good days, Sami was a nightmare for even the best batsmen.
His first-class record – 569 wickets in 169 matches at an average of 28.11 – shows his skill as a fast bowler.
His pace and swing were deadly. While 85 wickets in 36 Tests might seem decent, a bowling average of 52.74 is not impressive. He had a great start in Test cricket, taking 5 wickets against New Zealand in his first Test and a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in his third Test.
However, his form gradually declined, and he started giving away too many runs without taking enough wickets. The Pakistani team management tried to support him. They gave him the new ball, and when that didn’t work, they made him the third seamer for a few matches.
But nothing worked, and he was eventually dropped after the 2006 series against India. After that, he made occasional comebacks due to strong domestic performances, but something always went wrong in international Test cricket.
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2. Intikhab Alam
Imagine a player with 1,571 wickets and 14,331 runs. It’s hard to believe, but those are Intikhab Alam’s stats in first-class cricket. He played 489 first-class matches. However, he only played 47 Test matches for his country, scoring 1,473 runs and taking 125 wickets—about 10% of his first-class stats.
Alam captained Pakistan in 17 Tests, leading them to be strong both at home and away. Although his Test stats might not seem impressive compared to his first-class numbers, it’s important to remember he played in the 1960s and 1970s, a time when international cricket was less frequent.
3. Faisal Iqbal
Faisal Iqbal, Javed Miandad’s nephew, played 26 Tests for Pakistan. Although he had impressive first-class stats, with over 12,000 runs at an average of over 40 in 213 games, his Test performance was less impressive, with just 1,124 runs at an average of 26.76.
In the first Test against Australia in Colombo during the 2003/04 season, Iqbal scored a strong 83 off 84 balls, which impressed many. However, he didn’t perform well in the rest of the series or the next one against South Africa.
After a period of poor form, Iqbal’s career got a boost with a memorable Test century against India in Karachi, helping Pakistan win the 2005/06 series. He scored a few more fifties in subsequent matches, but his performance was inconsistent and soon declined. He was eventually dropped from the team after continued poor form.
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4. Sikander Bakht
Bakht was a great fast bowler in first-class cricket but didn’t make a big impact in Test cricket. He was one of the best fast bowlers in domestic cricket, with impressive stats: 553 wickets in 186 matches at an average of 25.16.
He started his Test career for Pakistan when he was just 19, but his international career lasted only seven years. This was because new bowlers like Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, and Wasim Akram came along, and there wasn’t space for Bakht.
Bakht depended on the pitch and conditions to be effective, while Khan, Akram, and Younis could perform well anytime. Still, anyone who watched him play in first-class matches understands why he was highly respected and feared in Pakistan’s domestic cricket.
5. Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood started his Test career strongly, scoring three centuries against South Africa. However, he played only 21 Test matches in total, scoring 900 runs and taking 39 wickets, which doesn’t fully reflect his ability as an all-rounder.
In first-class cricket, his stats are much better. He scored 7,703 runs with an average of about 32 and took 611 wickets at an average of 25.11. Despite these impressive numbers, Pakistan chose not to keep him in the team. Azhar has since moved on and is now a British citizen, working as a T20 specialist in various leagues worldwide.
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