Alimuddin (cricketer) facts for kids

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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 (Urdu: علیم الدین‎; 15 December 1930 – 12 July 2012) was a Pakistani cricketer who played 25 Tests for Pakistan between 1954 and 1962. His name is sometimes rendered Alim-ud-Din. A fast-scoring, right-handed opening batsman and occasional right-arm leg break bowler, he was the youngest player ever to appear in first-class cricket, aged 12 years and 73 days. In international cricket, he scored 1,091 runs at the average of 25.37, including two centuries and seven fifties. In 1954, he was a member of the Pakistani squad which toured England and recorded Pakistan's first Test match win. Former Pakistani captain Mushtaq Mohammad said about him that he was "a thorough gentleman as well as a great cricketer for Pakistan".

Personal life

Alimuddin was an ethnic Muhajir, born in Ajmer, a city in British India, on 15 December 1930. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, he moved to Karachi along with his family. He lived in London and never married, instead providing for his family. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had given him an opportunity to work at London Heathrow Airport. Two of his brothers, Salimuddin and Azimuddin, both also played first-class cricket. His nephew, James Uddin, the son of Salimuddin, is also a cricketer and currently plays semi-professional cricket in England.

In later life, his pension was suspended after doubts over his actual birth date. The pension was restored after intervention from the Pakistani President.

First-class career

During his career Alimuddin played 140 first-class matches and scored 7,275 runs, with the average of 32.77, including 14 centuries and 38 fifties; he also took 40 wickets. Critics considered him to be an excellent fielder. He made his debut for Rajasthan aged only 12 years 73 days, becoming the youngest player to have played first-class cricket. In 1942–43, he played his maiden match in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 13 and 27 runs in his two innings. His highest score in first-class cricket was 142, against Worcestershire in 1954. Domestically, Alimuddin represented Sindh, Rajasthan, Karachi, Bahawalpur and Gujarat, and became the first Pakistani batsman to face a ball bowled by an international bowler on Pakistani soil, in a match between the Sindh and West Indians in 1948. During Pakistan's 1954 tour of England, Alimuddin scored more than 700 runs, including two centuries in the first two matches. He was most successful during 1961–62, scoring 1,020 runs in 12 matches at an average of 51.00. In the same season he captained Karachi, leading the team to victories in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and Ayub Zonal Trophy. His final season in first-class cricket was 1967–68.

International career

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

Alimuddin played 25 Test matches for Pakistan during his career and scored 1,091 runs in international cricket at the average of 25.37. He made two centuries and seven fifties. Cricket critics believed that he possessed a sound technique. In Test matches, Alimuddin established an effective opening partnership with Hanif Mohammad.

Alimuddin started his international career against England in June 1954, at the Lord's Cricket Ground, in a match in which he scored 19 runs. In the fourth Test of the same series Pakistan beat England by 24 runs, recording their first Test win over them to become the first team to defeat England during their maiden tour. Alimuddin managed to score 10 runs in the match. In 1954–55, he played, against India, in Pakistan's first home Tests, finishing the series as the leading run scorer with 332; he made three fifties and in the fifth match scored 103 not out at the National Stadium, Karachi, his first international century. He was the first batsman ever to make an international century on the Ground.

Alimuddin also toured West Indies as a part of Pakistan cricket team in 1957–58. He was not successful in the series and his highest score remained 41 runs which he made in the fourth Test at the Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana. In 1962, under the captaincy of Javed Burki, Pakistan visited England where they played a five Test match series. In the fifth Test at Headingley, a low scoring match for Pakistan, Alimuddin's scores of 50 and 60 made him the team's highest scorer of the match. In the fifth Test of the home series against England in 1962, he scored his career best 109 runs at the National Stadium. He played his last match against England in Trent Bridge, Nottingham in 1962.

Former West Indian all-rounder Collie Smith was his only wicket in international cricket.

He is variously known as "Alim-ud-Din" and "Alimuddin", with Wisden using the former in earlier editions and the latter in his obituary.

Death

On 12 July 2012, Alimuddin died in Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London. He suffered from heart and lung diseases. He also had kidney failure and was on dialysis. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a press statement expressing sorrow and conveying condolences to Alimuddin's family.

Career statistics

Records against opponents

Key

Alimuddin's performance in Test matches

Opponent	Matches	inn	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct	St
Australia	002 2	004 4	020 1	0059 59	0034 34*	01966 19.66	005 0	005 0	0011 1	-005 –
England	008 8	016 16	003 0	0410 410	0109 109	02562 25.62	004 1	040 4	002 2	-004 –
India	006 6	010 10	001 1	0356 356	0103 103*	03955 39.55	003 1	030 3	000 0	-003 –
New Zealand	003 3	004 4	002 3	0074 74	0037 37	01850 18.50	002 0	002 0	004 4	-002 –
West Indies	006 6	011 11	001 0	0192 192	0041 41	01745 17.45	001 0	001 0	001 1	-001 –
00000 Total	25 25	045 45	002 2	01091 1091	0109 109	02537 25.37	002 2	007 7	008 8	-000 –

Test centuries

Alimuddin's Test centuries

No.	Score	Against	Pos.	Inn.	Venue	H/A/N	Date	Result
1	00103 103	India	2	3	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	26 February 1955	Drawn
2	00109 109	West Indies	6	1	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	2 February 1962	Drawn