Abdul Ismail

Abdul Moosabhoy Ismail (born 20 August 1945) is a former Indian first-class cricketer who later became a selector for the Mumbai Cricket Association. Ismail played as a swing bowler for Bombay cricket team from 1969/70 to 1977/78.

This article is about the cricketer. For the video game developer whose real name is Abdul Ismail, see IceFrog. For the Mozambican Olympic hurdler, see Abdul Ismail (athlete).

Abdul Ismail
Personal information
Full nameAbdul Moosabhoy Ismail
Born (1945-08-20) 20 August 1945
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
RoleBowler
RelationsAsif Ismail (son)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1969/70–1977/78Bombay
Career statistics
Competition FC List A
Matches 75 5
Runs scored 848 1
Batting average 18.43 0.50
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 46 1
Balls bowled 11,361 306
Wickets 244 5
Bowling average 18.04 31.60
5 wickets in innings 13 0
10 wickets in match 3 n/a
Best bowling 7/26 3/39
Catches/stumpings 23/– 2/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 4 January 2016

Career

A right-arm fast-medium bowler, Ismail played for Bombay between the 1969/70 and 1977/78 seasons. In his first match of the 1971–72 Ranji Trophy against Gujarat, Ismail had figures of 3/15 and 6/16, giving his team an innings win within two days.[1] Later that season, Bombay registered a 284-run win in away game against Baroda, with Ismail taking 4/18 and 5/62, with Baroda being bowled out for 42 in their first innings.[2] He finished the 1971/72 season with 56 wickets at an average of 13.98.[3]

He found success in the 1975–76 Ranji Trophy in which he finished as the leading wicket-taker with 38 scalps at an average of 16.[4] In the final of that Ranji season against Bihar, he took 5/48 and 5/58, helping his team to a 10-wicket victory.[5]

In 2000, Ismail became a member of the Mumbai Cricket Association the Ranji and under-22 selection panel.[6] He worked in that position for many years.[7][8]

Playing style

Ismail was a right-arm fast-medium new ball bowler with a "deceptive action",[9] who could swing the ball both ways. About Ismail's bowling, former Mumbai captain Milind Rege said, "I found his action very awkward, completely open-chested, something like Colin Croft. He had the biggest outswing I have ever seen. He started from around the leg stump and the swing would finish at 1st slip. [...] Surely Abdul was a great bowler who should have played many a Test [...]"[10]

According to former India cricketer Brijesh Patel, "Ismail was a very good bowler deceptive with his weird action. With both his swings, he made the batsmen play. Mind you, the quality of balls used was poor those days and it would lose its shine, but Abdul would be at you all the time. He should have played for the country."[10]

Personal life

Ismail, son of a taxi driver, was supported to play cricket by a Kerkar family. Ismail says of his early life, "What I am today is because of the Kerkar family. They really took care of me. We had no money. My father was the only earning member and he used to get annoyed seeing me on the ground. Everyday I would go to banks and offices and beg for a job."[10]

Ismail's son Asif Ismail is a tennis player who has appeared in Davis Cup.[11]

References
  1. "Gujarat v Bombay in 1971/72". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  2. "Baroda v Bombay in 1971/72". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  3. "First-class Bowling in Each Season by Abdul Ismail". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  4. "Bowling in Ranji Trophy 1975/76 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  5. "Bihar v Bombay in 1975/76". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  6. "Kuruvilla heads MCA junior selection committee". Rediff. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  7. "Mumbai axe ex-captain Amol Muzumdar". Rediff. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  8. "Sameer Dighe becomes new Mumbai selector". NDTV. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  9. "Yearning to return home". The Hindu. 28 July 2001. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  10. Waingankar, Makarand. "The sultan of swing named Abdul Ismail". Times of India. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  11. Brijnath, Rohit (31 December 1994). "Passing down the winning ways". India Today. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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