Alimuddin (cricketer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alimuddin

Alimuddin in 1962
Personal information
Born	(1930-12-15)15 December 1930 Ajmer, British India (now India)
Died	12 July 2012(2012-07-12) (aged 81) Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg-break
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	Pakistan (1954–1962)
Test debut (cap 15)	10 June 1954 v England
Last Test	26 July 1962 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1943	Rajputana
1944–1947	Gujarat
1946	Muslims
1948	Sind
1953–1954	Bahawalpur
1954–1965	Karachi
1956–1957	Karachi Whites
1957	Karachi "A"
1961–1966	Karachi Blues
1967–1968	Public Works Department
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 25 140 Runs scored 1091 7275 Batting average 25.37 32.77 100s/50s 2/7 14/38 Top score 109 142 Balls bowled 84 1472 Wickets 1 40 Bowling average 75.00 23.97 5 wickets in innings – – 10 wickets in match – – Best bowling 1/17 4/33 Catches/stumpings 8/– 65/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 August 2012

Alimuddin (born 15 December 1930 – died 12 July 2012) was a famous Pakistani cricket player. He played 25 Test matches for Pakistan between 1954 and 1962. He was a right-handed opening batsman, meaning he was one of the first players to bat for his team. He could also bowl sometimes with his right arm.

Alimuddin holds a special record: he was the youngest player ever to play in a first-class cricket match. He was only 12 years and 73 days old! In international cricket, he scored 1,091 runs. He made two centuries (scoring 100 runs or more) and seven fifties (scoring 50 runs or more). In 1954, he was part of the Pakistani team that toured England. That team made history by winning Pakistan's first-ever Test match.

About Alimuddin

Alimuddin was born in Ajmer, which was part of British India at the time. This was on 15 December 1930. After Pakistan became an independent country in 1947, he moved to Karachi with his family. He later lived in London.

Alimuddin never married. Instead, he helped support his family. He even worked at London Heathrow Airport for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). His two brothers, Salimuddin and Azimuddin, also played first-class cricket. His nephew, James Uddin, also plays semi-professional cricket in England. Later in his life, there was a small issue with his pension, but it was fixed after the Pakistani President helped.

Playing First-Class Cricket

Alimuddin played 140 first-class matches in his career. He scored a total of 7,275 runs. He made 14 centuries and 38 fifties. He also took 40 wickets when he bowled. Many people thought he was a great fielder, too.

He made his first-class debut for Rajasthan when he was just 12 years and 73 days old. This made him the youngest player ever in first-class cricket. His highest score in a first-class match was 142 runs. This happened against Worcestershire in 1954.

Alimuddin played for several teams in Pakistan. These included Sindh, Rajasthan, Karachi, Bahawalpur, and Gujarat. He was the first Pakistani batsman to face a ball from an international bowler on Pakistani soil. This was in a match between Sindh and the West Indies in 1948.

During Pakistan's tour of England in 1954, Alimuddin scored over 700 runs. He even made two centuries in the first two matches. His best season was 1961–62, when he scored 1,020 runs. In that same season, he was the captain of the Karachi team. He led them to win the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the Ayub Zonal Trophy. He played his last first-class match in 1967–68.

Playing for Pakistan

Alimuddin scored both of his international centuries at the National Stadium, Karachi.

Alimuddin played 25 Test matches for Pakistan. He scored 1,091 runs in these international games. He made two centuries and seven fifties. Cricket experts believed he had a very strong batting style. In Test matches, he formed a good opening partnership with Hanif Mohammad.

Alimuddin started his international career against England in June 1954. This match was at the famous Lord's Cricket Ground. In the fourth Test of that series, Pakistan beat England by 24 runs. This was Pakistan's first Test win against England. It was also the first time any team defeated England during their first tour there.

In 1954–55, Alimuddin played in Pakistan's first home Test matches against India. He was the top run-scorer in that series with 332 runs. He made three fifties. In the fifth match, he scored 103 not out at the National Stadium, Karachi. This was his first international century. He was the first batsman ever to score an international century at that stadium.

Alimuddin also toured the West Indies with the Pakistan team in 1957–58. In 1962, Pakistan visited England again. In the fifth Test match, Alimuddin scored 50 and 60 runs. These were the highest scores for his team in that match. In the home series against England in 1962, he scored his career-best 109 runs at the National Stadium. He played his last international match against England in 1962.

His only international wicket (when he got a batsman out) was Collie Smith, a West Indian player.

Alimuddin's Test Centuries

Alimuddin scored two centuries in Test cricket. Both of them were scored in Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Alimuddin's Test centuries

No.	Score	Against	Pos.	Inn.	Venue	H/A/N	Date	Result
1	103	India	2	3	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	26 February 1955	Drawn
2	109	West Indies	6	1	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	2 February 1962	Drawn

His Passing

Alimuddin passed away on 12 July 2012, in Northwick Park Hospital in London. He had some serious health problems, including heart and lung issues, and kidney problems. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared their sadness and sent their condolences to Alimuddin's family.