Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq (Urdu: عظیم رفیق‎; born 27 February 1991) is an English cricketer. A right arm off-spin bowler with a scholarship to Yorkshire, Azeem was a short-term loan signing of Derbyshire in the 2011 season. Azeem was also captain of the England Under-15s and Under-19s, and the first Yorkshire cricket player of an Asian background to captain an England cricket side at any level.[1] His use of a successful doosra delivery against Michael Vaughan during a nets session at Headingley drew attention of England bowling coach David Parsons, and ear marked Azeem as a possible future England bowler. Azeem was also the recipient of a Sport England award in 2006.[2] Rafiq in September 2020 came out as a victim of Racism during his stint at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Azeem Rauf

Personal information
Full name	Azeem Rauf
Born	27 February 1991 Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Batting	Right-hand batsman
Bowling	Right-arm off break
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2008–2014	Yorkshire (squad no. 30)
2011	→ Derbyshire (on loan)
2016–2018	Yorkshire (squad no. 30)
FC debut	6 June 2009 Yorkshire v Sussex
LA debut	30 August 2009 Yorkshire v Sussex
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20 Matches 38 35 95 Runs scored 866 252 153 Batting average 21.65 18.00 11.76 100s/50s 1/4 0/1 0/0 Top score 100 52* 21* Balls bowled 5,301 1,353 1,937 Wickets 71 43 102 Bowling average 39.49 29.65 24.40 5 wickets in innings 1 1 1 10 wickets in match 0 n/a n/a Best bowling 5/50 5/30 5/19 Catches/stumpings 14/– 15/– 36/–
Source: CricketArchive, 16 August 2018

Biography

Azeem Rafiq attended Holgate School near his home of Barnsley, and played cricket for Barnsley Cricket Club.[3] He was called up for the England Under-15s, which he captained, and played for Yorkshire Cricket Club's academy team, where he was named as 'Junior Performer of the Year'.[4] At two One Day Internationals at Loughborough University against Scotland where England's spinners took 17 of the 20 wickets, Azeem took 1-5 and 2-14.[5] Azeem has also had success as a right-handed batsman, scoring 59 against Barbados U16 again while captaining the England U15s. The team coach, John Wake, stated:

There were some wonderful individual performances, especially from the batsmen and the spin bowlers, which all bodes well for the future of England’s long-term cricket future.[6]

Of Rafiq's England prospects, David Parsons remarked that "he's a decent bowler for a 16-year-old and is generally quite an orthodox bowler....there's no doubt he's an exciting prospect and a genuine all-rounder - not one of these bowlers seeking to improve his batting". As well as from Parsons, Azeem has received coaching and advice from Saqlain Mushtaq, a former Pakistani spin bowler.[2]

Brian Close awards Azeem Rafiq the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Academy Player of the Year award 2008.

On 7 July 2008, the proposed Twenty20 match between Yorkshire and Durham was postponed due to Yorkshire fielding Rafiq during a Twenty-20 game against Nottinghamshire in the previous round. The controversy surrounded the registering of Azeem Rafiq, who was not registered with the ECB as a full-time player for Yorkshire. As a result, the ECB excluded Yorkshire from the 2008 competition and awarded the match points to Nottinghamshire, which would have meant they went through to the quarter final to play Durham. However at an appeal with the ECB, heard on 14 July 2008, Yorkshire were handed a reduced punishment. The result of the match stood, but Yorkshire's two points earned were deducted. This meant that neither Nottinghamshire nor Yorkshire went through, instead Glamorgan progressed to the quarter finals.

Rafiq was a recipient of a Brian Johnston Memorial Trust Scholarship to give young cricketers financial support, and was awarded the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Academy Player of the Year in 2008.[7] Rafiq was captain for the England U-19 squad in the 2010 World Cup,[7] but was dropped for the second England Under-19 Test against Sri Lanka for breaking mid-match curfews; he responded by publishing a strongly worded attack against coach John Abrahams on his Twitter account, deleting them once he realised they were made public.[8] On 26 July 2010, he was given a one-month ban from all cricket by the ECB.[9]

In June 2012, Rafiq captained Yorkshire in a Twenty20 match against Durham becoming the youngest captain in the county's history.

Racism at Yorkshire

Azeem Rafiq in an interview with Taha Hashim of Wisden revealed how he experienced racism during his stint at the Yorkshire County Cricket club. He elaborated how a lacklustre response from the Club management left him shattered and resulted in him losing faith in humanity.[10]

References

1. "Azeem Rafiq: academy: players: 2008 season". YorkshireCCC.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
2. Oliver Brett (26 June 2007). "Barnsley's teenage spin sensation". BBC Online. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
3. "Azeem Rafiq | England Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
4. South Yorkshire Sports Partnership. Impact Report 2007 available here "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) retrieved 27 June 2007
5. ECB News England spinners wreak havoc against Scotland Archived 7 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 27 June 2007
6. Sussex Cricket Sussex Under 15s player Machan helps clinch England win Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 27 June 2007
7. News about former Johneers scholars Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, www.johnners.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
8. Andrew Strauss warns players about using social media, 29 July 2010, BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
9. "Twitter tirade lands Azeem Rafiq one-month ECB ban". BBC News. 4 August 2010. Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
10. Hashim, Taha (17 August 2020). "The extraordinary life of Azeem Rafiq". Wisden. Retrieved 7 September 2020.

External links

• Azeem Rafiq at ESPNcricinfo