Name: Mohammed Yousuf

Birth date: August 27, 1974

Hometown: Lahore, Punjab

Teams: Pakistan, Asia XI, Bahawalpur, Lahore, Lahore Badshahs, Lancashire, Pakistan International Airlines, Warwickshire, Water and Power Development Authority, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited

Debut: Test: February 26, 1998 l ODI: March 28, 1998 l T20I: August 28, 2006 

 

 

 

Mohammad Yousuf’s story is the rags to riches tale many young cricketers in the subcontinent dream of. Named Yousuf Youhana at birth and subjected to a life of extreme poverty, his natural talents ensured he was able to shine at the highest levels of the game.

Since his debut in 1998, he was a regular in the Pakistani team for over a decade. An elegant batsman, boasting one of the finest cover drives in the game, Yousuf went on to become one of the most prolific batsmen of his era.

In 2006, he surpassed Sir Vivian Richards’ record for most runs in a calendar year, scoring 1788 runs in only 11 Test matches, including 9 centuries at an average of 99.33. 

In Test, he has scored over 7500 runs at an average of 52.29. In 2007, he was rewarded for his exceptional record by being named the ICC Test Player of the Year, a significant achievement for a batsman playing in a poor side struggling for wins. After being dropped for the 2007 World T20, he decided to join the breakaway Indian Cricket League. After a year in the wilderness, the PCB granted an amnesty to players in the unofficial league prompting Yousuf’s return. He was immediately drafted into Pakistan's 15-man squad for a tour to Sri Lanka in June 2009 and finished with 253 runs including one century and one fifty.

A year later, Yousuf was handed the Test captaincy after Younis Khan stepped down from the side amidst differences with his players and led the team in New Zealand and then to Australia. Whilst Pakistan drew the series against New Zealand, the ill-fated Australia series led to criticism, which was blamed on his poor captaincy in Sydney where Pakistan squandered a prime opportunity of victory in Australia. The one day series was similarly a similar poor showing for Pakistan. After indiscipline and infighing was highlighted during the series, the Pakistan Cricket Board imposed an indefinite ban on Yousuf in 2012.

Yousuf briefly returned to the national team during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010 but was subsequently dropped. He maintains hopes of returning to the side, although the PCB and coaches have questioned his fitness.

Recently, Yousuf has become a TV pundit and appears on various TV channels. He still has no plans of retirement. 

Last updated: 15 June 2015