Aftab Baloch

Aftab Baloch (Urdu: آفتاب بلوچ‎) (born April 1, 1953 in Karachi, Sindh) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in two Tests from 1969 to 1975. A right-handed middle order batsman and capable right arm offbreak bowler, Baloch is best known for being a member of the 400 club.

Aftab Baloch
Personal information
Full nameAftab Baloch
Born (1953-04-01) 1 April 1953
Karachi, Pakistan
BattingRight-hand bat
BowlingRight-arm offbreak
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 64)8 November 1969 v New Zealand
Last Test15 April 1975 v West Indies
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 2 172
Runs scored 97 9171
Batting average 48.50 41.68
100s/50s -/1 20/-
Top score 60* 428
Balls bowled 44 17363
Wickets – 223
Bowling average – 31.62
5 wickets in innings – 11
10 wickets in match – 2
Best bowling – 8/171
Catches/stumpings -/- 137/3
Source: ESPNCricinfo, 9 June 2017

The feat was achieved in a game for Sind at the National Stadium in Karachi during the season of 1973/74. After bowling out their opponents Baluchistan for 93, Sind responded with 951 for 7 declared. Captaining the side, Baloch made 428 of those runs.[1] At the time it was the 6th highest score by a batsman in first-class cricket history and he was the 7th player to pass the 400 run milestone. The final margin of an innings and 575 runs made it one of the most one sided games of all time.[2] Baloch was rewarded with a tour of England but he didn't play a Test. His record-breaking innings, however, kept following him around; he was by coincidence given room 428 in their team hotel.[3]

A year later, in February 1975, Baloch was recalled again to the side. He had made his debut back in November 1969 at the age of just 16 and 221 days. This made him the second youngest Test player in history.[4] Playing against New Zealand at Dhaka, Baloch made 25 runs in the 1st innings before being bowled by Vic Pollard. Needing just 184 runs for victory in the 4th innings, Baloch was not required to bat.

Recalled back into the side, Baloch lined up at number 7 in the Pakistani batting lineup for a Test against the West Indies at Lahore. He made 12 in his first dig and was one of Keith Boyce's 3 victims. When Baloch came into bat in what would be his final Test innings, his side where leading the West Indies by 199 runs and had 5 wickets in hand. Baloch made an unbeaten 60 and helped to put his side 358 runs clear but the West Indies managed to hang on for a draw.

Personal life

Baloch came from a mixed Baloch and Gujarati-origin family.[5]

After retiring from playing, Baloch took up coaching. He served as coach of Nepal at the 2001 ICC Trophy in Canada.[6]

References
  1. "High-speed Baz". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  2. "Rubbing their noses in it".
  3. "Languid, laconic, brilliant". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  4. "Records - Test matches - Individual records (captains, players, umpires) - Youngest players - ESPN Cricinfo". Archived from the original on 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
  5. Paracha, Nadeem F. (19 September 2013). "Pakistan cricket: A class, ethnic and sectarian history".
  6. Dave Liverman (22 June 2001). "ICC Trophy - Group B Division 1 preview and prospects" – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
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