If talent was a measure of judging a team’s prowess, Pakistan was right up there among the best outfits in the 90's. Blessed with natural talent picked ups from the streets of Pakistan, they were “”. Brilliant on one day and a mere shadow of its own on the other, this side had flashes of brilliance but were an enigma who brought about their own downfall at times.
The Pakistanis were known for their fighting spirit and played their cricket with a never say die attitude. The team had an ideal mix of the most versatile and potent bowling line-up backed by aggressive and entertaining stroke players, and by far were one of the most entertaining sides of that era.
So here is the best eleven that represented Pakistan in One-day cricket with distinction during that era:
Pakistan’s Best ODI Eleven (1995-2000)
1. Saeed Anwar
Without a doubt, Pakistan’s greatest opener in one-day cricket. Anwar was blessed with exquisite timing and sublime strokeplay. The southpaw had a certain flair about his batting which was pleasing to watch. He was graceful, yet scored runs at a brisk pace. Once settled, he had a penchant for scoring big hundreds thereby guiding his team to victory on numerous occasions. Anwar took a liking to the Indian bowling and always reserved his best against India!!!!!
2. Aamir Sohail:
The man who wore a bandana under his helmet, had a high back lift and was aggressive in his intent. Aamir formed a formidable and successful opening combination with Saeed Anwar which served Pakistan well all through the 90s. Sohail was a handy left arm bowler in the ODI format and chipped in with big wickets for his side. He analyzed the game very well and captained his side for a brief period during that era.
3. Ijaz Ahmed
Ahmed was an attacking middle order batsman with an unconventional batting stance. An aggressive stroke maker, Ijaz took the attack to the opposition by scoring boundaries freely and running quickly between wickets. On his day Ijaz could win a game on his own courtesy his bludgeoning stroke play. Ijaz was a brilliant fieldsman, especially at the covers and backward point region where he took some spectacular catches.
4.Inzamam Ul Haq (Inzi)
The lynch pin of Pakistan’s batting order, Inzamam had a certain lazy elegance to his batting. A master of milking the bowling in the middle, Inzi could alter the course of the game with his effortless stroke play and big hitting. Pehaps, the best part of his game was his running between the wickets which at time was disastrous yet funny, the least to say!!!!. A handy fielder at the slips with the safest pairof hands, Inzaman was Pakistan’s best batsman in the 90's who played the sheet-anchor role to perfection.
5.Saleem Malik
Pakistan’s valuable all-rounder for a long time indeed, Malik was a wristy middle order batsman who maneuvered the ball well and lent depth to the team’s batting. He was a handy medium pace/leg break bowler, who bowled economically in the middle overs to squeeze the oppositions’ scoring rate. Malik’s experience came in handy at critical times and served the country well through that period.
6. Shahid Afridi:(Boom Boom)
A strongly built Pathan from Karachi, “Boom Boom” Afridi was an impact player. On his day Afridi was a game changer for sure, thanks to his brutal hitting (towering sixes) all round the wicket to which the opposition had no answer. Shahid added variety to the team’s bowling via his quickish leg spinners and was a brilliant fielder too. Courtesy his dashing looks and flashy hair style, Shahid became a heartthrob among female fans all-round the world.
7. Moin Khan:
A hard core competitor,Moin Khan always took the fight to the opposition. Moin was a dangerous batsman down the order and often won matches with his cheeky and clever stroke play (fine sweeps and sixes behind the wicket). He was lighting quick between wickets. As an acrobatic wicket keeper, he did a decent job for Pakistan behind the stumps considering their depth in bowling.
8. Wasim Akram (Wazz)
The most complete fast bowler the world has ever seen,Wasim Akram was rightfully nicknamed the “Sultan of swing”.He had it all in his repertoire (Yorker, slower-one, deceptive bouncer and the reverse-swinging delivery).With a short-run up, Akram generated brisk pace and swung the ball both ways. Surely a match winner with the ball, Akram was handy with the bat too, chipping in quick fire runs lower down the order. Thanks to his astute cricketing acumen, Waz led the Pakis for most of the times during the 90s.
9.Waqar Younis:
The best swing bowler of his generation. Waqar was menacing with his lethal in-swinging deliveries and toe crushing yorkers, Add to that, his exploits with reverse swing which made him a strike weapon for Pakistan. Waqar consistently produced some match winning spells for his team. A die hard competitor,Younis formed a formidable pace bowling pair with the pace legend Wasim Akram which opposition’s dreaded during the 90's.
10.Saqlain Mushtaq:
The best off-spinner of his generation, Saqlain was a slog over specialist. Though he bowled the conventional off spinner with a hurried action,it was his Doosra (the wrong one) which bamboozled the best of batsmen. Saqlain choked the opposition by bowling an immaculate line which made him tough to score off .Saqlain had a phenomenal wicket taking ability which won many a matches for Pakistan during that era.
11.Mushtaq Ahmed (Mushi)
Bubbly and chubby, Mushtaq garnered his leg spinning skills from his idol Abdur Qadir and became Pakistan’s first choice spinner in the early 90s. Ahmed was an uncanny customer who mixed his Googlies to good effect with his leg spinning deliveries. He had an unconventional action which made him difficult to read off his hand.
12th Man
Rashid Latif:
Pakistan best wicket keeper played second fiddle to Moin Khan throughout the nineties. Technically very sound as a wicketkeeper, Rashid made the side on numerous occasions when Moin wasn’t fully fit to don the keeping gloves.
Bench Strength
Always blessed with quality seamers, the likes of Aaqib Javed, Atar-Ul Rehman, Mohammad Akram, Shahid Nazir & Muhammad Zahid were always a strong pace reserve to fall back on. Pakistan also had talented batsmen in Saleem Elahi & Basit Ali who made the side on a couple of occasions. Meanwhile Arshad Khan was a decent reserve spinner in their ranks.
We can’t miss out talented all-rounders like Abdur Razzaq & Azhar Mahmood, menacingly quick Shoiab Akhtar and ever consistent Muhammad Yusuf (Yousuf Youhana) who all came on the scene in the mid 90's but haven’t been considered in the eleven for the period considered for selection as they bloomed in the next decade. The likes of Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Rameez Raja werealso not considered as they peaked in their careers in the 80s and the early part of the 90s.
