Taslim Arif

Taslim Arif

Personal information
Full name	Taslim Arif Abbasi
Born	(1954-05-01)1 May 1954 PIB Colony, Karachi, Pakistan
Died	14 March 2008(2008-03-14) (aged 53) Karachi, Pakistan
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Wicket-keeper
International information
National side	Pakistan (1980)
Test debut (cap 82)	29 January 1980 v India
Last Test	8 December 1980 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 31)	21 November 1980 v West Indies
Last ODI	19 December 1980 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1967/68–1989/90	Karachi
1967/68–1989/90	NBP
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 6 2 148 40 Runs scored 501 28 7,568 853 Batting average 62.62 14.00 33.63 25.84 100s/50s 1/2 0/0 13/40 1/4 Top score 210* 24 210* 113* Balls bowled 30 – 311 – Wickets 1 – 7 – Bowling average 28.00 – 30.28 – 5 wickets in innings 0 – 0 – 10 wickets in match 0 – 0 – Best bowling 1/28 – 4/46 – Catches/stumpings 6/3 1/1 312/56 45/14
Source: ESPNcricinfo.com, 6 January 2008

Taslim Arif Abbasi (1 May 1954 – 14 March 2008) was a Pakistani cricketer who played in six Test matches and 2 One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 1980. His score of 210* for Pakistan against Australia stood for more than 20 years as the highest score made by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket, until broken by Zimbabwean Andy Flower. Arif died in Karachi from a lung infection in 2008. He was buried at Faisal Cantonment cemetery in Karachi.

He went to a local government school in P.I.B colony Karachi. After finishing his matriculation he was admitted to National College Karachi on the basis of his cricket record. He continued to play for the college team in intercollegiate matches. His mentor Professor Mukarram Ali Khan Shirwani played a major role in introducing him to several selectors as an outstanding and budding wicketkeeper batsman. During his days in the college he had several team members who gained national duties. One of his teammates was Mohsin Hassan Khan who played for Pakistan as an opener and later became a national coach. Along with most of his teammates he was against political parties involvement in students politics. He actively supported Fasahat Ali Khan against Hussain Haqani of Islami Jamiate Talaba by bringing in the entire sports teams to vote which resulted in Fasahat winning the students union elections.

Record

In September 1978, playing for National Bank against Punjab in Lahore, before he had made his international debut, Arif became the first Pakistani wicket keeper to effect ten dismissals in a first-class match. His record was later broken by Wasim Yousoufi in 1997.

External links

• Taslim Arif at ESPNcricinfo