Mushtaq Mohammed youngest to play Test cricket

By A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: Pakistan has the honour of producing the youngest Test cricketer todate - Mushtaq Mohammed. He was only 15 years and 124 days when he played against the West Indies at Lahore in the 1958-59 series.

Then two years earlier at the age of just 13 years, he made his first-class debut back at home for Karachi "Whites" against Hyderabad, scoring 87 and taking 5 for 87 with his leg-breaks and googlies.

The quality cricketer that he is, before he was 19 years old, he had scored two Test centuries and he went on to captain Pakistan before opting for the Packer series.

Sri Lanka's cricket fans had the opportunity of seeing Mushtaq in action when he led a star-studded Pakistan team here after beating India 2-nil in Tests in November 1978. The Pakistan team that came included Asif Iqbal (Capt.), Majid Khan, Wasim Bari, Imran Khan, Talat Ali, Javed Miandad, Sarfraz Nawaz, Zaheer Abbas, Sikkandar Bakht, Musasser Nazar, Iqbal Qasim, Haroon Rashid, Moshin Khan, Wasim Raja, Aneer Khan and Ashraf Ali.

Then Mushtaq Mohammed left Pakistan to a 2-nil victory over New Zealand. He somewhat led a revolt on the cricket authorities and led a campaign demanding more money for the cricketers and was sacked from his captaincy. He then joined the Packer series.

Mushtaq's qualities are perhaps not quite so obvious as those of say Sobers or Botham. Like so many cricketers from the subcontinent, finesse rather then force is forte. Only five feet five inches tall, but sturdily built, for a small man, he hits the ball with surprising power, but because of his stature this comes mainly through timing rather than effort. Like all the Mohammeds he has a common little twirl of the bat as he taken guard, but the blade is pretty straight once the ball's on its way! The slightly-built Pakistani Mushtaq has fine powers of concentration. Long hours in the dazzling sunshine pose major problems in fixing the mind solely on the ball for any length of time. He does this superbly, and the patience which his race seems to have in abundance, coupled with a fine defensive technique, have been repaid with over 50 first-class hundreds, including five double centuries and one score over 300.

Mushtaq has also will-power to do well and with loads of courage to back him. It was a treat to watch him play genuine fast bowling. Occasionally he might jump in the air, but then with his height it is not always easy to get over the bounce of the ball to keep it down. But he is right behind the line of the ball at most times.

Like so many of his Pakistani players, he is a beautiful wristy cutter of anything slightly short or wide, and he was perfected a stroke which not many first-class cricketers attempt - a kind of reverse back hand smash through the slips. He usually used this with totally demoralising effect to a slow bowler pitching consistently wide off his off-stump.

With a ball in his hand, he is no less of a competitor. Many of the world's finest leg-spinners have been short men - "Tich" Freeman, and Clarrie Grimmett, for instance. To spin the ball a lot it let it go with a slightly upward trajectory, and Mushtaq does this with great accuracy. He also has the googly and the 'flipper' the fast, flat ball which skids on after pitching.

Nimble on the field, with a safe pair of hands, Mushtaq quickly realised that without the ability to throw the ball very far, he would have to become a specialist close-to-the wicket catcher. His characteristic tenacity, practice and commitment have made him highly competent in this department too.