Ijaz Ahmed Junior – Former Middle Order Batsman

Ijaz Ahmed Junior is a former Pakistan middle order batsman. He appeared in two tests matches and two ODI’s for Pakistan in 1995-96. Ijaz Ahmed Junior was born on February 2, 1969 at Lyallpur (Faisalabad). He made test debut against Sri Lanka at Peshawar on Sep 1995. In the first inning he was caught by AP Gurushina off Muttiah Muralitharan bowling for 5 off 30 balls.

In the second test match at Faisalabad he scored 16 runs off 41 balls with 3 lovely ground shots. However he dismissed cheaply again for 8 runs off 31 balls of Chaminda Vass Bowling. This was his final appearance for Pakistan, that is truly unfortunate for a talented batsman.

He went back to domestic cricket and he work hard to come back. Therefore, after two years of exorbitant hard working he come back to Pakistan side who was visiting to Australia for Carlton and United series. Pakistan won the series first time in Australia. But he was failed again on the two chances provided him.

In the first match against West Indies, at Perth, he scored 3 not out, off 2 balls batting at No 9 positions. Simply, unluckily as Pakistan senior players played most of the inning. However in the 2^nd match at Sydney his batting could not come. This was his final match for Pakistan. That is extremely a sad end of his career not provided too much opportunities.

He has brilliant domestic records, of scoring 13058 runs at 40.93 with highest score of 229* including 33 hundreds, 62 fifties 232 catches. Also, as an right arm off spin bowler, he grabbed 171 wickets with the best of 6 of 62 including 6 times five wickets an inning and one time ten wickets in a match.

In a 152 list A matches, he scored 4418 runs at 35.62 runs with the best of 134, including 5 hundreds, 33 fifties and 63 catches. In the bowling department he took 79 wickets with the best of 5 for 42.

In 11 T20 matches, he scored 125 runs at 17.85 with the best of 44, and no wicket under this format. These stats clearly shows that he deserved more chances, but Pakistan selectors unsatisfied with the limited opportunities provided to him. That is extremely unfair for a batsman who has more than 40 averages in domestic cricket.

Even though at one stage, Ijaz Ahmad Junior was compared with great Inzamam ul Haq. But he could not thrive on international cricket for long time. That was a sad story of unfortunate cricketer.