Saeed Anwar facts for kids

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Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar in Jan, 2023
Personal information
Full name	Saeed Anwar
Born	(1968-09-06) 6 September 1968 (age 56) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left arm orthodox
International information
National side	Pakistan (1989–2003)
Test debut (cap 120)	23 November 1990 v West Indies
Last Test	31 August 2001 v Bangladesh
ODI debut (cap 68)	1 January 1989 v West Indies
Last ODI	4 March 2003 v Zimbabwe
ODI shirt no.	1
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 55 247 146 242 Runs scored 4,052 8824 10,169 8842 Batting average 45.52 39.21 45.19 39.21 100s/50s 11/25 20/43 30/51 26/54 Top score 188* 194 221 194 Balls bowled 48 242 653 858 Wickets 0 6 9 31 Bowling average – 31.83 45.77 20.80 5 wickets in innings – 0 0 0 10 wickets in match – 0 0 0 Best bowling – 2/9 3/83 4/39 Catches/stumpings 18/– 42/– 65/– 64/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Pakistan ICC Cricket World Cup Runner-up 1999 England-Wales -Ireland-Scotland-Netherlands
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 May 2012

Saeed Anwar (Urdu: سعید انور; born September 6, 1968) is a famous former cricketer from Pakistan. He was an opening batsman, meaning he was one of the first two players to bat in an innings. He was known for his graceful and stylish way of hitting the ball.

Anwar played for Pakistan's national team from 1989 to 2003. Many people think he is one of the best opening batsmen Pakistan has ever had. In One Day International (ODI) cricket, he scored 20 centuries (scores of 100 runs or more), which is a record for a Pakistani player. He was also part of the team that was the runner-up in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

Personal Life

Saeed Anwar was born in Karachi, Pakistan. When he was a child, his family moved to Canada for a few years before returning to Karachi. He was a very good student and went to the NED University of Engineering and Technology. He graduated with a degree in Computer System Engineering in 1989. He was even planning to get his Master's degree in the United States before he became a professional cricketer.

In 1996, Anwar married his cousin, Lubna, who is a doctor. In 2001, he experienced a great personal sadness when his young daughter, Bismah, passed away. This event changed his life, and he became more focused on his religion. After taking a break from cricket, he returned to play in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He announced his retirement from the sport in August 2003.

International Career

A graph showing Saeed's Test batting career and his scores over time.

Anwar was a talented batsman in both major forms of international cricket: Test matches and One Day Internationals (ODIs). He was known for his excellent timing and his ability to place the ball perfectly between fielders.

A Star in Test Cricket

Test cricket is the longest form of the game, with matches lasting up to five days. Anwar played 55 Test matches and scored 4,052 runs. This included 11 centuries and 25 half-centuries (scores between 50 and 99).

His career started with a tough match against the West Indies in 1990, where he didn't score any runs. But he soon showed his skill. In 1994, he scored a brilliant 169 runs against New Zealand.

One of his most amazing achievements was in a match against India in 1999. He scored 188 runs and was not out, meaning he was still batting at the end of the innings. In that match, he became only the third Pakistani player to "carry his bat," which means he opened the batting and was not dismissed when the team's innings ended.

Master of One Day Internationals

One Day Internationals (ODIs) are a shorter, one-day version of cricket. Anwar was a superstar in this format. He played 247 ODIs and scored a total of 8,824 runs. He holds the Pakistani record for the most centuries in ODIs, with 20.

In 1993, he did something incredible by scoring three centuries in a row at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. He was the first batsman in the world to score back-to-back centuries on three different occasions in his ODI career.

The Record-Breaking 194

On May 21, 1997, Saeed Anwar played an unforgettable innings against India in Chennai. He scored 194 runs, which at the time was the highest individual score ever made in an ODI match. This amazing record stood for almost 13 years. It is still one of the highest scores in ODI history and remains a legendary moment in cricket.

World Cup Performances

Anwar played in three Cricket World Cups for Pakistan: in 1996, 1999, and 2003. He was Pakistan's top run-scorer in all three tournaments.

In the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he was in amazing form. He scored two centuries in a row, including 113 not out in the semi-final against New Zealand. His great batting helped lead Pakistan to the World Cup final, where they finished as runners-up to Australia.

His last international match was during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. In his final big game against India, he scored his 20th and final ODI century.

Records and Achievements

Saeed Anwar set many records during his career. Here are a few of his biggest accomplishments:

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1997): One of the highest honors a cricketer can receive.
• Pride of Performance (2000): A major award given by the Government of Pakistan.
• Most ODI Centuries for Pakistan: He scored 20 centuries, more than any other Pakistani player.
• Highest ODI Score (Former Record): His 194 runs against India was the world record for the highest score in an ODI for many years.
• Carried His Bat: He was the third Pakistani to carry his bat through a Test innings, with a score of 188 not out.

Performance Statistics

Test Performance by Opponent

Saeed Anwar's performance in Test matches

Opponent	Matches	inn	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
Australia	8	15	0	886	145	59.06	3	5	1
Bangladesh	1	1	0	101	101	101.00	1	0	0
England	8	14	0	545	176	38.92	1	3	4
India	3	6	1	289	188*	57.80	1	1	0
New Zealand	5	8	0	418	169	52.25	2	1	3
South Africa	7	15	0	279	118	23.25	1	1	1
Sri Lanka	11	16	0	919	136	57.43	2	8	6
West Indies	4	5	0	96	65	19.20	0	1	1
Zimbabwe	8	14	1	519	145	39.92	1	5	2
Total	55	91	2	4052	188*	45.52	11	25	18

ODI Performance by Opponent

Saeed Anwar's performance in ODI matches

Opponent	Matches	inn	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
Australia	30	30	1	683	104*	23.55	1	0	6
Bangladesh	6	6	1	285	90	57.00	0	3	3
England	11	11	0	488	77	44.36	0	5	1
India	50	48	2	2002	194	43.52	4	8	12
Kenya	3	3	0	29	27	9.66	0	0	0
Namibia	1	1	0	23	23	23.00	0	0	0
Netherlands	3	3	2	136	83*	136.00	0	1	0
New Zealand	32	32	4	1260	113*	45.00	4	7	5
Scotland	1	1	0	6	6	6.00	0	0	0
South Africa	24	24	1	398	42	17.30	0	0	1
Sri Lanka	52	52	3	2198	126	44.85	7	13	9
United Arab Emirates	2	2	1	79	40*	79.00	0	0	0
West Indies	17	16	1	534	131	35.60	2	2	4
Zimbabwe	15	15	3	703	103*	58.58	2	4	1
Total	247	244	19	8824	194	39.21	20	43	42

See also

• Pairs on Test debut
• List of highest individual scores in ODIs
• List of Pakistan One Day International cricket records
• List of Cricket World Cup centuries