Alimuddin (cricketer)

Alim-ud-Din[1] (Urdu: علیم الدین‎; 15 December 1930 – 12 July 2012) was a Pakistani cricketer who played 25 Tests for Pakistan between 1954 and 1962. His name is sometimes rendered Alimuddin. A fast-scoring, right-handed opening batsman and occasional right-arm leg break bowler, he was the youngest player ever to appear in first-class cricket, aged 12 years and 73 days. In international cricket, he scored 1,091 runs at the average of 25.37, including two centuries and seven fifties. In 1954, he was a member of the Pakistani squad which toured England and recorded Pakistan's first Test match win. Former Pakistani captain Mushtaq Mohammad said about him that he was "a thorough gentleman as well as a great cricketer for Pakistan".[2]

Alim-ud-Din

Alim-ud-Din in 1962
Personal information
Born	15 December 1930 Ajmer, British India (now India)
Died	12 July 2012 (aged 81) Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg-break
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	Pakistan
Test debut (cap 15)	10 June 1954 v England
Last Test	26 July 1962 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1943	Rajputana
1944–1947	Gujarat
1946	Muslims
1948	Sind
1953–1954	Bahawalpur
1954–1965	Karachi
1956–1957	Karachi Whites
1957	Karachi "A"
1961–1966	Karachi Blues
1967–1968	Public Works Department
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 25 140 Runs scored 1091 7275 Batting average 25.37 32.77 100s/50s 2/7 14/38 Top score 109 142 Balls bowled 84 1472 Wickets 1 40 Bowling average 75.00 23.97 5 wickets in innings – – 10 wickets in match – – Best bowling 1/17 4/33 Catches/stumpings 8/– 65/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 August 2012

First-class career

During his career Alim-ud-Din played 140 first-class matches and scored 7,275 runs, with the average of 32.77, including 14 centuries and 38 fifties; he also took 40 wickets.[3] Critics considered him to be an excellent fielder.[4] He made his debut for Rajasthan aged only 12 years 73 days, becoming the youngest player to have played first-class cricket.[5] In 1942–43, he played his maiden match in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 13 and 27 runs in his two innings.[6] His highest score in first-class cricket was 142, against Worcestershire in 1954.[7] Domestically, Alim-ud-Din represented Sindh, Rajasthan, Karachi, Bahawalpur and Gujarat,[3][8] and became the first Pakistani batsman to face a ball bowled by an international bowler on Pakistani soil, in a match between the Sindh and West Indians in 1948.[4][9][10] During Pakistan's 1954 tour of England, Alim-ud-Din scored more than 700 runs, including two centuries in the first two matches.[11] He was most successful during 1961–62, scoring 1,020 runs in 12 matches at an average of 51.00.[12] In the same season he captained Karachi, leading the team to victories in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and Ayub Zonal Trophy.[5][13][14][15] His final season in first-class cricket was 1967–68.[12]

International career

Alim-ud-Din made both of his centuries at the National Stadium, Karachi.[16][17]

Alim-ud-Din played 25 Test matches for Pakistan during his career and scored 1,091 runs in international cricket at the average of 25.37. He made two centuries and seven fifties.[3] Cricket critics believed that he possessed a sound technique.[18] In Test matches, Alim-ud-Din established an effective opening partnership with Hanif Mohammad.[5]

Alim-ud-Din started his international career against England in June 1954, at the Lord's Cricket Ground, in a match in which he scored 19 runs.[19] In the fourth Test of the same series Pakistan beat England by 24 runs, recording their first Test win over them to become the first team to defeat England during their maiden tour.[11] Alim-ud-Din managed to score 10 runs in the match.[20] In 1954–55, he played, against India, in Pakistan's first home Tests, finishing the series as the leading run scorer with 332; he made three fifties and in the fifth match scored 103 not out at the National Stadium, Karachi, his first international century.[16][21][22] He was the first batsman ever to make an international century on the Ground.[23]

Alim-ud-Din also toured West Indies as a part of Pakistan cricket team in 1957–58. He was not successful in the series and his highest score remained 41 runs which he made in the fourth Test at the Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana.[24][25] In 1962, under the captaincy of Javed Burki, Pakistan visited England where they played a five Test match series.[26] In the fifth Test at Headingley, a low scoring match for Pakistan, Alim-ud-Din's scores of 50 and 60 made him the team's highest scorer of the match.[27] In the fifth Test of the home series against England in 1962, he scored his career best 109 runs at the National Stadium.[17] He played his last match against England in Trent Bridge, Nottingham in 1962.[28]

Former West Indian all-rounder Collie Smith was his only wicket in international cricket.[29]

He is variously known as "Alim-ud-Din" and "Alimuddin", with Wisden using the former in earlier editions and the latter in his obituary.[11][30]

Personal life

Alim-ud-Din was born in Ajmer, a city in British India, on 15 December 1930.[3] After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, he moved to Karachi along with his family. He lived in London and never married, instead providing for his family. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had given him an opportunity to work at London Heathrow Airport.[23] Two of his brothers, Salimuddin and Azimuddin, both also played first-class cricket.[31][32] His nephew, James Uddin, the son of Salimuddin, is also a cricketer and currently plays semi-professional cricket in England.[33]

In later life, his pension was suspended after doubts over his actual birth date. The pension was restored after intervention from the Pakistani President.[30]

Death

On 12 July 2012, Alim-ud-Din died in Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, London.[2][23] He suffered from heart and lung diseases. He also had kidney failure and was on dialysis.[23] The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a press statement expressing sorrow and conveying condolences to Alim-ud-Din's family.[34][35]

Career statistics

Records against opponents

Key

Inn – Number of innings batted NO – Number of innings not out Runs – Runs scored in career HS – Highest score * – Batsman remained not out

100 – Number of centuries scored 50 – Number of half centuries scored Avg – Runs scored per dismissal Ca – Catches taken

St – Stumpings taken H/A/N – Venue was at home (Pakistan), away or neutral Date – Match starting day Result – Result for the Pakistan team

Alim-ud-Din's performance in Test matches[3][24]

Opponent	Matches	inn	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct	St
Australia	2	4	1	59	34*	19.66	0	0	1	–
England	8	16	0	410	109	25.62	1	4	2	–
India	6	10	1	356	103*	39.55	1	3	0	–
New Zealand	3	4	3	74	37	18.50	0	0	4	–
West Indies	6	11	0	192	41	17.45	0	0	1	–
Total	25	45	2	1091	109	25.37	2	7	8	–

Test centuries

Alim-ud-Din's Test centuries

No.	Score	Against	Pos.	Inn.	Venue	H/A/N	Date	Result
1	103	India	2	3	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	26 February 1955	Drawn[16]
2	109	West Indies	6	1	National Stadium, Karachi	Home	2 February 1962	Drawn[17]

References

1. Wisden 1963, Index, page ix, confirms Alim-ud-Din as the correct rendering of the subject's name and this usage is repeated on at least 15 other pages throughout the book.
2. "Mushtaq Mohammad salutes Alim-ud-Din as ex-opener dies at 81". The Times of India. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
3. "Player Profile: Alimuddin". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
4. Staff report (13 July 2012). "Pakistan's to former Test to opener Alim-ud-Din passes away in London". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
5. Carman, Gerry (13 August 2012). "Early first-class start just one claim to cricket fame". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
6. "Baroda v Rajputana – Ranji Trophy 1942–43". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
7. "Pakistan tour of England – Worcestershire v Pakistanis". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
8. "Teams Alimuddin played for". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
9. "West Indies vs Pakistan – FC match". ESPNcricinfo. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
10. "Cricket: Former Pakistani Opener Alimuddin died at 81". The Express Tribune. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
11. Smith, Leslie. "Wisden – Pakistan in England, 1954". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
12. "First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Alimuddin". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
13. "Quaid-E-Azam Trophy – A brief history – Winners". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
14. "Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 1961/62". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
15. "Karachi v North Zone". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
16. "Pakistan v India in 1954/55 (5th Test)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
17. "Pakistan vs England – Test Series – 5th Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
18. "Legendary opener Alimuddin passed away in London". The Dawn. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
19. "England vs Pakistan – Test Series – 1st Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
20. "England vs Pakistan – Test Series – 4th Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
21. "India tour of Pakistan 1954–55". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
22. "Cricket Records – Records – India in Pakistan Test Series, 1954/55 – Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
23. Farooq, Umar (12 July 2012). "Former Pakistani cricketer Alimuddin died". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
24. "Test batting and fielding against each opponent by Alimuddin". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
25. "West Indies vs Pakistan – Test Series – 4th Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
26. "Pakistan tour of England, 1962 – Fixtures". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
27. "England vs Pakistan – Test Series – 5th Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
28. "England vs Pakistan – Test Series – 4th Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
29. "West Indies vs Pakistan – Test Series – 1st Test". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
30. "Wisden Obituaries - 2012". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2017 – via ESPNcricinfo.
31. "Player profile:Salimuddin". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
32. "Player profile:Azimuddin". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
33. "Player profile:James Uddin". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
34. "PCB condoles the death of Pakistan's to former Test Cricketer Alimuddin" (Press release). Pakistan Cricket Board. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
35. "Zaka condoles Alimuddin's death". The Nation. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2017.

External links

• Alimuddin at CricketArchive (subscription required)