Abdul Razzaq has represented Pakistan on more than 300 occasions, scoring over 7,000 international runs and taking almost 400 wickets. The all-rounder last represented Pakistan in the T20 series between Pakistan and South Africa four months ago, although his last one day international was in November 2011. 

The 34-year-old has been a key member of Pakistan's limited-overs teams since making his debut in 1996, being part of three ICC World Cup campaigns and three World T20 events. His three wickets with the new ball in the 2009 World T20 final played a major role in Pakistan's victory that day and although he has not been a consistent performer, his career has been punctuated with some blistering performances with the bat and ball, including 40 runs in the space of just 11 balls during England's tour of Pakistan in 2005 and 44 off 20 balls in September 2010 at Lords. 

He has saved his best for South Africa – two of his three ODI centuries have come against the Proteas, including one of the great ODI innings which he played during the 2010 series in the UAE. In this series, Razzaq entered the fray in the 30th over of the 2nd ODI, with Pakistan languishing on 136/5 chasing 286. He ended with 109 not out off 72 balls, including 10 sixes to secure a penultimate-ball one-wicket victory.

Razzaq has played 46 Test matches for Pakistan and he has had his moments both with bat and ball, including a 184 record seventh-wicket stand with Kamran Akmal in 2005 at Mohali to save the Test. India were again the opposition when Kamran Akmal and Razzaq helped Pakistan reach a competitive total after being 39-6 in Karachi in 2006, a game Pakistan famously went on to win with Razzaq taking seven wickets and contributing a total of 135 runs. 

Currently out of favour with the Pakistani selectors after the emergence of the likes of Bilawal Bhatti and Anwar Ali, Razzaq was left out of Pakistan's 2014 Asia Cup and World T20 squads. 

PakPassion.net caught up with him to discuss his venture into club cricket in England, the high points of his career, Pakistan's chances at the upcoming World T20, his thoughts on domestic cricket in Pakistan, as well his own plans for the future.

by Saj Sadiq (9th March 2014)

PakPassion.net: You’ve recently signed for Hem Heath of the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League. What do you aim to achieve by signing for them?

Abdul Razzaq: My dealings with the club have been very good. I’m impressed by what they had to say and what their ambitions are. They told me what they wanted to achieve this season and I’m really looking forward to playing for Hem Heath. 

On the field of course our aim will be to win every competition, but I also think that it’s very important that I do some work on the coaching side with both the current and up and coming players at the club.


PakPassion.net: Is coaching something that you’d like to take up once you’ve stopped playing?

Abdul Razzaq: Yes definitely. I think you always have to look at the future and plan for the future. Too often you see players who have not planned for their retirement and suddenly they stop playing cricket and don’t have anything to fall back on.

I feel I can still play cricket at the highest level for a few years, but I think coaching at Hem Heath is a step in the right direction. Hopefully I can continue to coach in future and earn my coaching badges which could be useful for me in the years to come.

I’ve played cricket all around the world in all of its various formats and against the world’s best, so I’d definitely like to pass on my experience and knowledge to players of the future around the world. 


PakPassion.net: What do you feel has been the greatest moment of your career so far?

Abdul Razzaq: There have been some memorable moments over the years. One that springs to mind is the five wicket haul against Sri Lanka in a one day international at Sharjah. The match was tied after Sri Lanka only needed 11 runs to win with five wickets in hand and I took four of the last five wickets to fall. That performance really launched my career and I see it as a significant moment for me.

Then there was the all round performance in Australia against India when I made 70 not out from 52 balls at Hobart when we were struggling at 156 for 5. I followed that up with 5 for 48 including the wickets of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman. 

Another match that brings back some great memories is the one day international in 2010 at Abu Dhabi against South Africa when I scored 109 not out from 72 balls and we managed to win an incredible match by one wicket. 


PakPassion.net: No interview would be complete without asking you about that match saving partnership between you and Kamran Akmal at Mohali in the Test match of 2005. Tell us about that fifth day of the Test match, the partnership and the emotions you went through?

Abdul Razzaq: At the close of play on day four we were 257 for 6 in our second innings, which was a lead of just over 50. The pressure of playing in India against the hosts is only something that a cricketer can describe. It’s unique - the noise, the pressure, there’s nothing like it. 

The match was over, done and dusted at the end of day four as far as the hosts were concerned. They were that confident that they would win, they had even sorted out the post match victory celebrations, but of course we had other ideas. Kamran and I batted for nearly 60 overs and added in excess of 180 runs in very testing conditions and under extreme pressure. I think our partnership showed that we could cope with pressure. Some of my critics had said that I couldn’t play spin bowling, but I feel that innings of mine shut a few of the critics up. 


PakPassion.net: Another superb innings of yours that springs to mind is the 89 against New Zealand from only 40 balls, but Pakistan lost by an agonising four runs which must have been heartbreaking for you?

Abdul Razzaq: It’s always tough for players from Asia to go to New Zealand and Australia and perform there. That innings was special but yes, I have mixed feelings about that match as we lost by the smallest of margins. I went in at number seven when the team needed over 10 runs an over and it was a good effort to get us so close but when I look back now, I just wish that I could have steered us home instead of being ninth man out when we needed 10 runs to win.


PakPassion.net : One of your most complete performances in Tests was in Karachi 2006 against India when you made 45 and 90 with the bat and took seven wickets. What are your memories of that match?

Abdul Razzaq : That match brings back some wonderful memories for me. I was possibly at my best and at my peak in that match. It was almost the perfect match from a personal perspective. I walked into bat with the team five wickets down and only thirty seven runs on the board. I certainly didn't expect to be at the crease ten overs into the match. Thankfully Kamran (Akmal) and I put on a century partnership and he went onto score a very good hundred which gave our first innings score some respectability.

To bowl India out for less than our first innings total gave us a huge lift and provided the impetus for our good second innings, which saw us make just under 600. I took the wickets of Ganguly, Tendulkar and Dhoni in the first innings which wasn't bad was it. Our batting clicked in the second innings and India were under pressure in their second innings having such a mountain to climb.

Asif and Shoaib (Akhtar) sent the Indian top order back to the pavilion in no time and then I removed the middle order, despite some resilience from Yuvraj Singh.

Looking back at that match, it was one of the greatest ever sporting comebacks. I cannot think of too many teams that would have gone onto win a Test match from being thirty nine for six. It showed resilience, team spirit and above all mental strength.


PakPassion.net: You were brought in from the cold for the World Twenty20 in 2009 having not initially been selected and eventually played a crucial role in Pakistan winning that tournament. Your memories of that successful competition?

Abdul Razzaq: A world cup win is a world cup win, irrespective of whether it’s the fifty over format or the twenty over format. When I joined up with the squad, morale was very low. The boys had lost both warm-up matches, Yasir Arafat was injured and there were some question marks over the team combination.

I was in a tough situation as I was making a comeback and joining a squad that was clearly struggling. However I took on the challenge of bowling with the new ball for Pakistan in that tournament and we managed to turn things around. That tournament just epitomises the ups and downs of my career; not being selected, then called up and performing when my country needed me to. 

It was an unforgettable time in England in 2009 winning the World Twenty20 and days like the final at Lords stay with you forever. 


PakPassion.net: Why didn’t you play for Lahore in the recent Faysal Bank Twenty20 tournament?

Abdul Razzaq: I thought I had fully recovered from the hamstring injury that I suffered in South Africa and attempted to play again, but the injury hadn’t healed and I damaged the hamstring once again. However I will be back in full training in another weeks time.


PakPassion.net: There were some reports that the injury in South Africa was a cover-up for disciplinary issues. Can you shed some light on this?

Abdul Razzaq: Absolute nonsense. Totally untrue.


PakPassion.net: You weren’t named in the 30 man provisional squad for the World T20 this month in Bangladesh. Surely you consider yourself amongst the 30 best Twenty20 cricketers in Pakistan?

Abdul Razzaq: Naturally I was disappointed but there’s nothing I can do about it other than to start playing again and performing well. It was the selectors' decision, their call and whether I agree or disagree with it makes not one bit of difference. I believe I still have it in me to play for Pakistan, but it’s down to the selection committee to ultimately make that decision. It’s Pakistan cricket’s misfortune that sometimes cricketers who are out of favour for one reason or another aren’t selected.


PakPassion.net: You made some comments last year about the captaincy approach of Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez . Would you like to elaborate on those comments?

Abdul Razzaq: Let me clarify firstly, Misbah and Hafeez are good cricketers. However, cricket has changed in recent times, it’s a much quicker game. If you bat slowly and in a negative manner, then that has an impact on the whole innings and on your team mates. Both Hafeez and Misbah know a lot about cricket, they obviously know the ins and outs of cricket, but they both need to bat in a more positive manner. The philosophy should be, if I can hit a ball for six, then why should I just take a single from that delivery! 

Both Misbah and Hafeez need to show more intent at the crease and show more positivity as their batting has a negative impact on their team mates. Also, if they are batting in a negative manner then the opposition knows this and they can create more pressure on the other batsmen at the crease, knowing that a mistake is just around the corner.

Pakistan should be near the top of the ICC rankings in all formats, but sadly of late, we have been sliding down the rankings in ODIs and Tests. Let’s see some more positivity from the captains at the crease and this will have a positive effect on the rest of the batsmen and the results will follow. 


PakPassion.net: A few all-rounders have been tried but with limited success. Let’s be honest here, you haven’t really been replaced in the Pakistan limited overs line-ups have you?

Abdul Razzaq: My objective has always been that when I leave international cricket, a suitable replacement is there and somebody has been groomed by myself to succeed in international cricket. There’s no substitute for experience and what the Board and selectors should be doing is getting the younger up and coming players to work alongside and play alongside the experienced players so that the experienced players can pass on what they have learnt to the younger players. 

I don’t think Pakistan cricket over the years has utilised its senior cricketers and experienced players very well. Instead, they have been cast aside and forgotten about, well before their time is up. We have some good up and coming cricketers but they are missing a key ingredient in their development and that is to play alongside and work with senior and experienced cricketers who have represented Pakistan for a long time. I’m sure that if I had the opportunity to play in the same team as, and work with, some of the young all-rounders in Pakistan, they would improve further and would eventually become better cricketers.


PakPassion.net: Pakistan has had a rich history of producing genuine all-rounders, but that tradition seems to be a thing of the past. Why do you think that is?

Abdul Razzaq: The reason is that our captains in recent times have not been all-rounders. If you have a captain who is an all-rounder and appreciates the value of a cricketer who can win a game with either bat or ball, then you will see all-rounders in the team and performing well.

Our captains have predominantly been batsmen in the recent past and I don’t think they appreciate the value of having an all-rounder in the Test team especially. It’s a situation that needs rectifying as our tail is very long in Test cricket and a genuine all-rounder coming into bat at number eight is extremely useful and adds balance to the team.


PakPassion.net: You’ve played alongside and against some of Pakistan’s greats in domestic cricket. What are your thoughts on the current standard of domestic cricket in Pakistan?

Abdul Razzaq: Well there’s a lot of concerns from a lot of people involved in Pakistan cricket about the standard of domestic cricket and those concerns are genuine in my opinion. There needs to be more investment into the domestic circuit in Pakistan. The investment needs to be made to improve stadia, facilities, player’s salaries and prize money.

In addition, more domestic cricket needs to be televised. At the moment the Twenty20 tournaments are shown on television and the occasional other match will be shown, but the reality is that more domestic cricket needs to be shown on television. This will create more interest in the tournaments that are being played, it will showcase the talent and will provide the cricketers with more incentives to perform. The authorities in Pakistan need to look at the set-up in England and follow this model. The fixtures are released well in advance, domestic cricketers earn a decent living and the players are contracted.

I would also suggest the media to play more of an active role in promoting domestic cricket and helping its cause by promoting the various tournaments in the domestic calendar. 


PakPassion.net: How do you rate Pakistan’s chances at the upcoming World Twenty20 in Bangladesh later this month?

Abdul Razzaq: In Asian conditions you can never write off Pakistan in any format. The bowling unit is capable of winning any match from any situation and that is definitely Pakistan’s strength. It’s an experienced bowling line-up, a bowling unit that knows the Bangladeshi conditions very well. The key is a positive approach from the batsmen rather than a negative approach. It’s absolutely imperative that the Pakistani batsmen play in an aggressive manner rather than letting the opposition bowlers dominate.

I’m very confident that Pakistan can win the World Twenty20 crown, just like we did in 2009.


PakPassion.net: Looking ahead to the World Cup next year in Australia and New Zealand, what about Pakistan’s chances there?

Abdul Razzaq: Pakistan won in those conditions in 1992 and the squad should go there with that in mind. Play positive cricket, none of this negative approach we see sometimes from the team. As I said earlier, cricket has changed nowadays, it’s a faster game, a game where you have to have a positive approach. Those with a negative approach eventually get found out. I’m certain that if the approach is positive then there is every chance Pakistan can do very well at next year's World Cup.


PakPassion.net: You’re 34 years of age, do you think you still have the desire and the ability to play for Pakistan?

Abdul Razzaq: Absolutely no doubt. I’m recovering from the hamstring injury at the moment but once I’m over this injury then I am aiming to return to international cricket, I'm not finished with international cricket. I’m of course playing club cricket in England and then I’m looking to play in some of the domestic Twenty20 competitions around the world and I'll also be playing domestic cricket again in Pakistan next season. So it's a busy few months and a period where I hope to impress the national selectors.

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