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Zaheer Abbas still remains the only batsman of the sub-continent to have scored over 100 first-class centuries.-File photo
Forty years to the day in 1971, a star was born when Pakistan took on England in the first of the three-match Test series at Edgbaston.
Only 23-year-old then and unknown to the cricketing world, he wielded such authority and presence in only the second Test of his career, that for the rest of his life he became a legend in his own lifetime.
He was none other than our own Zaheer Abbas whose magnificent innings of 274, the highest by any visiting batsman playing in his first Test in England, epitomised the art of batting and left an indelible mark on the minds of all those who had the pleasure of watching it.
I was among the lucky ones to have witnessed it, as I did most of his career, watching Zaheer plundering runs at the expense of hapless bowlers who tossed and toiled as he carved the greens of cricket grounds round the globe.
I had never met him before, nor had seen him play till he stepped out of the dressing room at Edgbaston after Pakistan’s opener Aftab Gul retired hurt on the third delivery of the first day of the Test after being hit by a snorter from fast bowler Alan Ward.
Frail, loose-limbed, bespectacled with long side-burns and a thick mop of hair, Zaheer walked into the middle to face the music. No one, not even the experts would have put a wager on him to tame the English attack for the rest of the day and beyond to announce his arrival in international cricket.
By the time he finished his stint at the crease, caught off a sweep off Ray Illingworth on the second day, the English bowlers were a tired, battered lot, dancing helplessly to his tune as he pierced the field hitting 38 boundaries, each one of them a gem, crested skillfully in the jewel by a master craftsman.
It was a sight to behold and a breathtaking experience, a spectacle which lit up the gloomy and overcast Edgbaston sky and sent the critics into raptures.
There was only a few anxious moments as he settled at the crease but once in his grooves, Zaheer played like a man possessed, whether facing the menacing pace and swing of Ward or Peter Lever or Ken Shuttleworth and Basil D’Oliveira or the spin of Illingworth or Derek Underwood.
His poise and elegance was remarkable as he stepped back to hit the ball with awesome timing between mid-wicket and mid-on or lunged forward to drive past the gaping cover or backward point.
Even when in a spot of bother, which he seldom was, Zaheer would never nudge and instead, would lunge forward to work his way out with a delicate push past the gully or point or with the roll of his wrist to flick the ball to the square leg region.
Even the greatest batsman of his time, Colin Cowdrey standing in the slips cheered his sensational stroke-play in admiration.
It is no exaggeration, but not before or since have I watched such artistry in batting, not even from the likes of Greg Chappell, Tom Graveney, David Gower, Mark Waugh or for that matter Mohammad Azharuddin, Viv Richards or Sachin Tendulkar. Zaheer’s silken grace as he drove, pulled and cut the ball with minimum of fuss or effort, was in a class of its own.
His passion for the game and hunger for runs hardly ever diminished as he became the first Pakistani batsman to reach 5,000 runs in Test
cricket and ended his illustrious career with over 34,000 runs at first-class level.
If not for his devastating form, the Indian spin quartet of Srinivasan Venkataraghavan, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna and Bishen Singh Bedi may have stayed in the game a lot longer.
It was Zaheer who destroyed them in the 1978-79 series in Pakistan with his magnificent display of batsmanship, scoring over 500 runs in the three Test matches.
His success with the bat was such that he still remains the only batsman of the sub-continent to have scored over 100 first-class centuries, 108 to be precise. No mean achievement this, not even the likes of Javed Miandad and Tendulkar can boast of the distinction.
He also remains the only batsman in history to have made a double century and a century in the same match four times and all being unbeaten innings, not even Sir Don Bradman could achieve that.
Aptly dubbed as the Asian Bradman, Zaheer nicknamed ‘Z’ was worthy of his billing. If the word genius is an attribute of the most skilled, then Zaheer indeed deserves it.
No one has summed up his skill and style better than John Woodcock, the celebrated cricket writer of The Times and the former editor of the Wisden Almanack, when he wrote these lines about Zaheer: “The most ruthlessly mechanical of them must have been the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, the most enduring was Sir Jack Hobbs with 197 first-class centuries, the most calculating may well have been Geoffrey Boycott, but none of them could have played with more ease and elegance than Zaheer whose batting gave as much pleasure in England when he was with Gloucestershire, as it must have done in Pakistan.”
First of all, I would like to thank Qamar sahib for writing such a beautiful article. I have been reading your article since I was a kid. You are a great cricket critique.
I first met Zaheer Abbas sahib at Karachi Gymkhana ground in 1974 when I was little cricket maniac. He was very gracious to us even though he was such a big cricketer. Since then, I have been a great fan of his & followed his career & achievements very closely.
I would like to thank him from my heart for providing us unmatched glorious moments in cricket arena and still we cherish those moments.
He is the King of Pakistan Cricket because of his majestic & elegant style & humble demeanor.
Some names are never wiped out from the annals of history & hearts and his name is one of them.
This is to thank everyone for the compliments on 'Z's piece.i considered it my duty as acricket writer to remind the younger generation of the quality of great zaheer's batting.
Most of those who are now between 15 and 40 must have been 5 or 10 when Zaher's played that masterly innings.therefore it was important that we appreciated his great feat.
Thanks
Qamar Ahmed
I was a student in nearby University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, and watched it all on the TV all live. Zahir Abbas century was a class act.
Well written! Three cheers to Maestro Zaheer, and to Mr. Qamar Ahmed
Cricketers paid off for their services and also foriegn tours free of cost and lots of other fun. They have big business in foriegn countries so point is if they made some runs its not a big deal because they take big advantages from this game.
What Zaheer acheived was remarkable in all ways any cricket fan can think of. But even more exceptional was the pairing of him with Majid Khan. These 2 could rule any pitch in any condition with any kind of bowling. Ahh, those good old days!!!
Yes, those were the good old days when cricketers had at least basic education, were from good family background and knew all ettiquettes – on as well as off the field. Most importantly they enjoyed respect all around the globe with their performance.
used to be great players,sir zaheer abbass,sir majid khan,sir sarfraz nawaz,great style,great individuals but team never used to win any match.They were even told don't even try to win,just lose with respect cz winning is not even a option,great run making machines but no winning,victory started from the time of imran khan cz he formed the team with new spirit,lossing was not an option & play for team,not for your self.
That innings by Zaheer Abbas in 1971 is the single most cherished memory of my life as a cricket follower. Other great innings have been played by Zaheer and other Pakistani and international cricketers. But none can match the exhilaration and pride that I felt when Zaheer played that great knock. He set up such a high bench mark with that innings that every time he stepped out to bat for Pakistan a lot would be expected of him, and a great deal of disappointment would be felt when he came up short. I hope Mr Zaheer Abbas reads these comments and I would like him to know that his great innings will never be forgotten by those of us who were lucky enough to follow it on radio that hot June in 1971. Thanks for the memories.
A nostalgic piece – those golden years of cricket – no more to be seen. Zaheer's art will never be seen again in today's IPL driven world. I guess we just have to live with those sweet memories. One other thing – these were all gentleman cricketers – they brought a certain dignity to the game – today it is a much different world. Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Imran Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Solkar and many more from that era – it was a treat to watch them play cricket. Thanks for the article. Regards.
Very well written Qamar Sahib. You have done a great job in bringing back those nostalgic feelings that one experienced while watching Zaheer Abbas, prince among batsmen, bat against the best bowlers of the world whether at Edgbaston or anywhere else. Zaheer was indeed the most elegant and graceful batsman of his time. His batting was like poetry. When he got going, there was no better batsman to watch. Both Zaheer and Viv Richards were in great form during 1976 English season. Richards made more than 800 runs in tests against in addition to pulverizing county bowling attacks. Zaheer made more than 2500 runs in the county season. At the end of the season, Derek Underwood was asked as to whom out of the two, Zaheer, or Richards, he would prefer to bowl and Underwood said Richards, because at least he gives you a chance to get him out whereas Zaheer does not!
Here are the highlights of the match:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGKwVrpsM1w&fe…
Rgds,
- Atif
Qamar you beauty ….not born when Mr.Z played this innings, your article is for sure tempting me to hunt for that…
I hope we find a bat half as classy as the asian bradman.
Qamar Bhai
A beautifully written article which has rekindled the glorious days of cricket. Zaheer's batting was poetry translated into cricketing prose.
I have been an avid "dawn-a-mite" so as to say, from a very early age, as were my ten siblings, and a pair of great human beings, my late parents; and Qamar Ahmed had been an almost household name to us, being arm-chair cricketers, like most South Asians; and today Qamar has taken me to a nostalgic drive so lovely and vivid, that I can almost see Dereck Underwood's exasperation at the opposite end and Colin Cowdery's admiration in the "slips".
Thank you Mr Ahmed, but more so, Thank You Zaheer Abbass for that great Egbaston innings!
Superbly played Zaheer well written Qamar well recalled Feroze
such class of batting is seldomnly seen in pak team now a days,with few exceptions few yrs back,like Inzamam&Yousuf.todays professionalism is lacking.cricket has become commercial now.