Biography of Zaheer Abbas

Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani was born on 24 July 1947, in Sialkot, Punjab. As well as playing test cricket for Pakistan Zaheer Abbas had a long stint playing for Gloucestershire.

A great batsman, he scored 5,062 runs from 78 Tests and 2,572 from 62 one-day internationals. Zaheer Abbas is the only Asian to have made a century of centuries in first class cricket to date.

His highest test score came against England, when he reached a majestic 274 at Edgbaston in 1971. Eventually he was caught by Luckhurst, bowled Illingworth.

Among Zaheer’s other great innings were a couple of classic knocks for Pakistan against India in the 1982 test series. Zaheer Abbas scored a double-century in the first Test at Lahore; and then in Karachi he hit a masterful 186.

In 2005 before the India v. Pakistan test series, Zaheer Abbas advised his countrymen:

“Glue yourselves to the Indian pitches to the extent they have to call the police to budge you.”