Muhammad Waseem is a Pakistani-born cricketer who plays for the United Arab Emirates national cricket team.

Wiki/Biography

Muhammad Waseem was born on Saturday, 12 February 1994 (age 30 years; as of 2024) in Mian Channu, Punjab province of Pakistan. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Waseem started playing cricket in 2010 when he was 16. He played tape-ball cricket before joining Sakhi Shabaz Club in 2012. In the same year, he was selected for the Rashid Latif Cricket Academy in Burewala. In 2017, while playing in Lahore, he was offered a UAE residency visa by Mudassir Ali to join Versatile Deployment Solutions as a full-time member of their cricket team. After that, he worked as a sales executive while also playing club cricket.

An early adulthood picture of Muhammad Waseem

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family & Caste

He belongs to a Muslim Rajput family. ^[1]Shahraj Waseem – Instagram ^[2]Muhammad Waseem – Facebook

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about his parents and siblings.

Muhammad Waseem’s father

Muhammad Waseem’s mother

Wife & Children

In 2022, he got married to Sana Waseem. He has a son named Shahraj Waseem.

Muhammad Waseem’s wife, Sana Waseem

Muhammad Waseem playing with his son, Shahraj Waseem

Religion

He follows Islam. ^[3]Muhammad Waseem – Facebook

Career

United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team

Muhammad Waseem became eligible to play for the UAE in April 2021 after meeting the ICC’s three-year residency rule. In October 2021, Waseem was selected to play for the UAE in the 2021 Summer T20 Bash tournament. On 5 October 2021, he made his T20I debut against Namibia at ICC Academy, Dubai. Five days later, in a match against Ireland, Waseem scored his first century in T20I cricket, making 107 not out from 62 balls.

Muhammad Waseem playing for the UAE

In November 2021, he was chosen to play for the UAE in the 2021 Namibia Tri-Nation Series One Day International (ODI) tournament. In February 2022, he was also selected for the UAE’s ODI squad for their series against Oman. On 5 February 2022, Waseem made his ODI debut against Oman at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, Oman. In March 2023, Waseem was made captain of the UAE, replacing CP Rizwan for the final match of the 2023 United Arab Emirates Tri-Nation Series. In August 2023, Muhammad Waseem became the T20I captain for the first time in a three-match series against New Zealand.

Muhammad Waseem (right) as the captain of the three-match T20I series against New Zealand in 2023

His first full series as captain was the Nepal Tri-Nation Series, which was the UAE’s final series of the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. On 31 December 2023, he led UAE to an 11-run victory over Afghanistan in Sharjah during the T20I series. During the match, Waseem became the first player ever to hit 100 sixes in International cricket in a calendar year. On 15 March 2023, Waseem scored his first ODI century against Papua New Guinea in the Nepal series, scoring 119 runs from 76 balls, including twelve sixes.

Franchise Cricket

Abu Dhabi T10

He was a part of the Northern Warriors in the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10. On 3 February 2021, he came into the spotlight with an unbeaten 56 from 13 balls in a match against Pune Devils, leading Northern Warriors to an eight-wicket victory. He hit seven of those 13 balls for six and three more for four. With the feat, Waseem equalled Chris Gayle’s record for the Fastest T10 Fifty in 12 balls in a T10 cricket match.

Northern Warriors’ Waseem Muhammad (left) plays a shot against Team Abu Dhabi during their Abu Dhabi T10 League match

On 6 February 2021, Northern Warriors went on to become the champions of 2021 Abu Dhabi T10, defeating Delhi Bulls in the final. In the 2021–22 Abu Dhabi T10, he played for Chennai Braves. He represented the New York Strikers in the 2022 and 2023 Abu Dhabi T10. In 2022, Deccan Gladiators defeated New York Strikers by 37 runs in the final. In 2023, New York Strikers became champions of the league, defeating Deccan Gladiators by 7 wickets in the final.

Bukhatir Premier League

Under his captainship, InterGlobe Marine (IGM) won the 2021 46th Bukhatir Premier League.

Muhammad Waseem (captain of team InterGlobe Marine (IGM)) receiving the trophy after winning the 2021 46th Bukhatir Premier League

Emirates D20

He represented Fujairah in Dream 11 Emirates D20, 2020/21. Waseem finished the tournament with the most runs (534), the highest average (53.40), and the most 50-plus scores. He scored four half-centuries and an unbeaten 101 runs off 60 balls. However, his team lost to Sharjah by two wickets in the final. Under his captainship, Fujairah won the 2022 Emirates D20.

Muhammad Waseem (as the captain of Fujairah) posing with the trophy after his side won the 2022 Emirates D20

International League T20

He played for MI Emirates in the 2023 and 2024 International League T20. He won the title of Best UAE Player in both seasons.

Muhammad Waseem posing with his Blue Belt after becoming the Best UAE Player in the 2024 International League T20

On 28 January 2024, Muhammad Waseem’s impressive score of 89 (62) in the match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders led him to become the Player of the Match. He scored a total of 321 runs from 12 matches in the ILT20 2024. In the 2024 final, MI Emirates defeated Dubai Capitals by 45 runs to win the title.

Muhammad Waseem (on knees in the front row- third from left) with his team MI Emirates posing as Champions of 2024 International League T20

Pakistan Super League (PSL)

He joined the Multan Sultans team as a replacement player for the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL). On 24 June 2021, Multan Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs in the final to win their first title.

Muhammad Waseem (rightmost) posing with his team Multan Sultans after winning the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL)

Facts/Trivia

• His nickname is Babba. ^[4]Muhammad Waseem – Instagram

• He is a right-hand batter and right-arm medium-pace bowler.

• His jersey number for the UAE is #10.

• His maiden ODI century came from 61 balls and set a new UAE record for the fastest ODI century, but this record was broken the following day by Asif Khan, who scored a century in 41 balls.

• He was signed by Islamabad United for the 2024 PSL. However, he had to pull out of the league because the dates of UAE’s Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign clashed with PSL. Martin Guptill replaced him in the team.

• His favourite cricket ground is Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Tamanpreet

Shahrukh Khan is an Indian cricketer from Tamil Nadu. He is an all-rounder, primarily a batsman who also bowls off-spin.

Wiki/Biography

Masood Shahrukh Khan ^[1]The Hindu was born on Saturday, 27 May 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Chennai. His zodiac sign is Gemini. While growing up in Velachery, Chennai, Shahrukh attended Don Bosco School. He finished his schooling at St. Bede’s following which he attended Guru Nanak College. While studying in school, he developed an interest in cricket.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 2″

Weight (approx.): 85 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Hazel Brown

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 44″, Waist: 34″, Biceps: 14″

Family

Parents & Siblings

Shahrukh Khan’s father, Masood Khan, is a former club cricketer who played in Chennai’s second division league. His mother, Lubina Khan, is a boutique owner. He has a younger brother named Akram Khan, a cricketer who plays in the fourth division.

Wife

Shahrukh Khan is unmarried.

Career

School/Age-group Cricket

After receiving his initial lessons at the SDAT Academy and Kedar CA in Chennai, Shahrukh Khan represented Tamil Nadu in age-group cricket. by the time he turned 13, he had begun playing league cricket. He performed well in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy by scoring 624 runs and taking 18 wickets. His performance earned him the best all-rounder award in the first edition of the Junior Chennai Super Kings tournament.

Shahrukh Khan receiving an award during an age group cricket tournament in 2012

First Class and List A

In 2011-12, he was signed by UFCC (T. Nagar) in the first division, and in 2012-13, he played for Indian Bank. On 27 February 2014, Shahrukh made his List A debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2013–14 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 6 December 2018, he made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy.

Shahrukh Khan playing in a domestic match

While talking about Shahrukh’s First Class debut, former Tamil Nadu selector Sharath T N once said,

We picked him purely on his natural ability in the 2014-15 season. Back then, the TN team was filled with superstars in their prime — Dinesh Karthik, Murali Vijay, Abhinav Mukund, Subramanian Badrinath. So, he didn’t have a ready-made spot open. He was in the reserves for four years before he finally made his debut in 2018.”

He was part of the Tamil Nadu team that won the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Shahrukh Khan (extreme right) with the Tamil Nadu team that won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy trophy in 2021

T20 Franchise

In 2014, he made his T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he scored 21 in just 8 balls. He was later picked by the Trichy franchise in the Tamil Nadu T20 League. In the 2018 edition of the state T20 league, he scored 325 runs in 9 games for the Kovai franchise. In 2019, he captained Hindustan College at Red Bull Campus Cricket, where he was awarded ‘Player of the Tournament.’ In 2021, he was appointed captain of the Lyca Kovai Kings for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Premier League.

Shahrukh Khan playing for the Lyca Kovai Kings in the Tamil Nadu Premier League

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Shahrukh Khan didn’t impress any franchise teams in the 2020 IPL auction and didn’t get picked. He even tried out for Mumbai Indians but couldn’t make it because of his injured finger. He made his IPl debut for Punjab Kings in the 2021 edition of the tournament; the Punjab franchise bought him for a sum of Rs. 5.25 crore. While talking about his IPL price tag, Shahrukh once said,

The chance to play under K L Rahul and coach Anil Kumble and getting an opportunity to play a tournament like the IPL is something that excites me. Money is secondary.”

In the 2022 edition of the game, the Punjab franchise bought him for Rs. 9 crore. He was retained by the Punjab Kings for the 2023 season.

Shahrukh Khan was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs. 5.25 crore in 2021

In the 2024 IPL auction, he was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.4 crore, becoming the ninth most valuable player in the auction. ^[2]Sportstar

Shahrukh Khan was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.40 crore in the 2024 IPL auction

T20I

In January 2022, Shahrukh Khan was among the two players who were named as standby players in India’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their home series against the West Indies.

Awards

In 2023, he was awarded the “Cricketer of the Year” award by Tamil Nadu Cricket.

Shahrukh Khan receiving the Cricketer of the Year award given by Tamil Nadu Cricket

Car Collection

He owns a Classic Kingsway car.

Shahrukh Khan’s Instagram post about his Classic Kingsway car

Salary

In the 2024 IPL auction, he was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.4 crore. ^[3]Sportstar

Favourites

• Batter: Joe Root

• Bowler: Brett Lee

• Actor: Rajinikanth

Facts/Trivia

• He was named after a celebrated Bollywood star, Shah Rukh Khan, as his mother’s cousins were huge fans of the star. Shahrukh says,
  

  My mother’s cousins were huge fans and they practically forced my parents to name me after him.” ^[4]The Hindu

• According to Shahrukh, he developed an interest in cricket when he turned 11 before which he was a passionate swimmer. ^[5]The Hindu

• Shahrukh gives credit to his parents, personal coach L. Venkatanarayanan, trainer Azhariah Prabhakar, S. Sharath, and R.I. Palani for his rise in cricket.

• Even after performing well in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, he was not selected for the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In an interview, he recalled his disappointment in not getting selected for the U-19 World Cup. He said,
  

  When I failed to make the U-19 World Cup squad, it shattered my confidence.”

• When Shahrukh was playing at Red Bull Campus Cricket in 2019, was spotted by scouts of Rajasthan Royals who selected him for a trial with the team in Nagpur; however, he was later picked by KL Rahul’s Punjab team.

• After he was picked by the Punjab Kings in the 2021 IPl auction, Punjab Kings owner Preity Zinta looked at the Kolkata Knight Riders table and shouted,
  

  We’ve got Shahrukh.”

  

  Shahrukh Khan with Preity Zinta

  The incident went viral on the internet, and netizens called it ‘Bollywood meets cricket’ and ‘Veer meets Zara.’

• His maiden IPl cap was handed over to him by Chris Gayle.

• He is known for his power-hitting ability against pace and is considered a quality finisher. Virendra Sehwag once said,
  

  He reminds us of a young Pollard, when he had just come into the IPL. Everyone was running after him, because he could just stand and hit sixes off bowlers. Shahrukh has the same quality. Although he has played those little innings and hasn’t played a big knock. But the lower you bat in the line-up, there’s only so much he can do.”

• He often shares his workout pictures on social media.
  

  Shahrukh Khan doing the workout in a gym

• As a kid, he would often play tennis ball cricket.

• Shahrukh Khan studied at St. Bede’s school which has produced cricketers like Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

• He plays with jersey number 35 in the IPL.
  

  Shahrukh Khan’s IPL jersey number

• In his leisure time, he loves swimming, travelling, and listening to music.

Shukla Sundeep

Steve Bucknor is a Jamaican former international cricket umpire and football referee. One of the most experienced umpires in the history of cricket, Bucknor umpired a record 128 Tests, 179 ODIs, and five consecutive World Cups from 1992 to 2007. He was the first umpire to officiate in 100 Test matches.

Wiki/Biography

Stephen Anthony Bucknor was born on Friday, 31 May 1946 (age 78 years; as of 2024) in Montego Bay, St James, Jamaica. His zodiac sign is Gemini. He has been athletic since childhood. Raised by a single mother, Bucknor spent most of his childhood on the playfield while his mother was away at work. He attended Cornwall College in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He played a goalkeeper for Cornwall College’s football team. He also captained the team. He was part of the Cornwall College team that won the DaCosta Cup in 1963. He also represented his college in the long jump. Bucknor relocated from Jamaica to New York around 2017-18.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 3″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about Steve Bucknor’s parents and siblings.

Wife & Children

On 10 June 1989, Steve Bucknor got married to Leora Bucknor.

Steve Bucknor with his wife, Leora Bucknor

He has six children. He also has a stepdaughter. His daughter’s names are Suzanne Bucknor, Sasheeka Bucknor, Stephanie Bucknor, Andrae Stephenson, and Shari Ri Ri. Sasheeka Bucknor worked at Air Jamaica. His son Sta-Bee British (Sean) is a professional soccer player.

From left to right, Andrae Stephenson, Leora Bucknor and Shari Ri Ri

Steve Bucknor with his son Sta-Bee British

Steve Bucknor’s daughter Suzanne Bucknor receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award on her father’s behalf

Steve Bucknor’s daughter Sasheeka Bucknor

Steve Bucknor’s daughter Stephanie Bucknor

Religion

Steve Bucknor follows Christianity.

Career

After completing his formal education, he worked as a mathematics and physical education teacher at St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).

Football

Steve Bucknor began his career in sports with football. As a football player, he played as a goalkeeper in Jamaican parish leagues during the 1960s. In 1964, he was the goalkeeper for Jamaica in a schoolboy international match against Brazil, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Later, he became a football coach for Cornwall College. Between 1981 and 1991, he won six DaCosta Cup titles.

Coach Steve Bucknor (wearing white Adidas T-Shirt) with 1982 Cornwall College DaCosta Cup football team

During the same time, he became a football referee. Bucknor was a referee for FIFA in a CONCACAF and World Cup qualifier match between El Salvador and the Netherlands Antilles in 1988. Bucknor quit his career in football in 1992.

Cricket

Bucknor’s first international cricket match was a One Day International (ODI) between the West Indies and India in Antigua on 18 March 1989. His first Test match was between the West Indies and India at Sabina Park, Kingston, from 28 April to 3 May 1989. He was selected to umpire the 1992 World Cup final after only four Test matches and a few one-day internationals. Bucknor also umpired in the next four World Cup finals in 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2007. In 1994, the ICC introduced a policy for Test matches where one umpire would be independent of the competing nations and would be chosen from an International Panel of Umpires. Bucknor was part of this panel from its start until the ICC changed its umpiring policy in 2002. Bucknor was one of five officials involved in the wrong decision during the 2007 World Cup final, which led to play continuing in poor light conditions. As a result, Bucknor, along with the other four officials, was suspended from the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa. His incorrect decisions led to India’s defeat by 122 runs in the second Test in Sydney in January 2008.

After a strong protest from the Board of Control for Cricket, Bucknor was removed by the ICC from umpiring in the third Test between Australia and India in Perth. On 23 February 2009, the ICC announced that Bucknor would retire from umpiring in March 2009. The last Test match he umpired was the 3rd Test between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town from 19–23 March 2009. His last ODI match was the 4th ODI between the West Indies and England in Barbados on 29 March 2009. Bucknor umpired in a record 128 Test matches between 1989 and 2009, and he also umpired in 181 ODIs during this period.

He stood in 309 matches, and had one of the most distinctive ways of giving a batsman out!

Happy Birthday to Steve Bucknor! pic.twitter.com/bQqrJl1X6Q

— ICC (@ICC) May 30, 2017

After Retirement

After retiring from cricket, he again started serving as a coach for Cornwall College’s DaCosta Cup men’s football team.

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• ICC’s Bronze Bails Awards for umpiring in 100 ODIs

• Order of Jamaica for outstanding contribution to sports (2007)
  

  Steve Bucknor after receiving the honour of Order of Jamaica in 2007

• Golden Bails Award for umpiring 100 Test matches

Favourites

• All-rounder Cricketer: Conrad Hunte

• Batsmen: Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar

• Bowler(s): Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Curtly Ambrose

• Cricket Ground: Lord’s in London

Facts/Trivia

• His nicknames are Sta-Bee and Gabby. ^[1]Sta-Bee British – Facebook ^[2]Mobay Lives Matter – Facebook

• He is the first official to serve as both, a FIFA referee and an ICC Test cricket empire.

• Bucknor used to play cricket as an all-rounder in Montego Bay. He started umpiring because he was angry with the wrong decisions made during his own games. He wanted to make sure that cricketers were given fair treatment, so he decided to become an umpire.

• He was known for his punctuality. The only time he was late was for a Test at Lord’s when he arrived at the venue at 9:05 for an 11 o’clock start.

• In 2002, Bucknor broke Dickie Bird’s record of umpiring in 66 Tests.

• In March 2005, he became the first umpire to officiate in 100 Tests.

• Steve Bucknor’s relationship with India became bad after the 2008 Sydney Test. Years later, Bucknor said that he committed two mistakes during that match. He said the first mistake allowed an Australian batsman to score a hundred, and the second, on day five, cost India the game. The batsman Bucknor was talking about was Andrew Symonds, who went on to score 162 runs. During an over by Ishant Sharma, Symonds, who was batting on 30, hit the ball with the edge of his bat, and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni caught it. However, Steve Bucknor decided that Symonds was not out. The second mistake might refer to Rahul Dravid‘s wicket on the last day, where replays clearly showed the ball had hit his front knee roll. ^[3]The India Express ^[4]Scroll.in

• The 2008 Sydney Test was also known for the Monkeygate controversy, where Bucknor was involved in decisions regarding Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh. Singh was accused of calling Andrew Symonds a “monkey,” and he received a three-match ban following the incident. Thereafter, Indian cricket fans blamed umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor for India’s defeat in the test match and burned effigies of them. ^[5]Al Jazeera

• Until December 2019, Bucknor held the record for umpiring the most Test matches, but then, Aleem Dar from Pakistan broke the record. Aleem Dar umpired in a record 144 test matches during his career.

• Steve Bucknor was called Slow Death because he took a long time to make decisions on appeals. ^[6]Mumbai Mirror

• In May 2006, Bucknor accused TV companies of altering images in a such way that made umpires look bad and key players look good.

• In 2007, Bucknor was nominated for the Umpire of the Year award, but Simon Taufel won the award.

• He got down on his knees and prayed on the pitch during his final Test, South Africa v Australia, in Cape Town on 22 March 2009, the end of his 20-year career.
  

  Steve Bucknor praying on knees during his final Test, South Africa v Australia, in Cape Town on 22 March 2009

• Eleven years after his retirement, Steve Bucknor remembered making several wrong decisions against Sachin Tendulkar in an interview. His decisions caused outrage in India. One mistake happened in Australia (at the Gabba in Brisbane in 2003) when he wrongly declared Tendulkar out lbw, even though the ball was going over the stumps. Another mistake was in a match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2005 when he wrongly thought the batsman had nicked the ball for a catch behind.
  

• Apart from football and cricket, Bucknor is also into track and field events. In an interview, after retiring from cricket, he said he would participate in track meets. Talking about the same, he said,
  

  I do sprints. From childhood days I was an athlete. Running is a part of me….I do 200 metres, 400 metres, I am part of the relay quartet, 4×50 and 4×100. I also throw discus and shot.”

• In an interview, he said that he liked spending time alone and staying indoors in his free time. He said he liked to watch television and do some writing.

Tamanpreet

Lockie Ferguson is a New Zealand cricketer. He has played in all formats of cricket for New Zealand and played in various leagues around the world. He is considered one of the fastest bowlers of all time.

Wiki/Biography

Lockie Ferguson aka Lachlan Hammond Ferguson was born on Thursday, 13 June 1991 (age 32 years; as of 2023) in Auckland, New Zealand. His zodiac sign is Gemini.

A childhood photo of Lockie Ferguson (right) with his father and elder brother

He liked playing cricket since childhood and trained at Parnell Cricket Club in Auckland. He did his schooling at Auckland Grammar School from 2005 to 2009 where he played for the school team.

Lockie Ferguson (second from right, wearing armbands) when he started playing cricket

He later pursued a Bachelor of Business degree in Advertising and Marketing at Auckland University of Technology, Auckland from 2010 to 2012. ^[1]LinkedIn – Lockie Ferguson He later became a professional cricketer.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 1″

Weight (approx.): 80 kg

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42″, Waist 32″, Biceps 13″

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father, Doug Ferguson, is a former rugby player, and his mother, Jan Ferguson, is a former sprinter and netballer. He has an elder brother named Mitch Ferguson, a software developer, who is married to Hayley Ferguson.

Lockie Ferguson with sister-in-law, Hayley, elder brother, Mitch, mother, Jan, and father, Doug (left to right)

Wife & Children

He got married to Emma Komocki, a British national and physiotherapist, on 2 February 2024.

Lockie Ferguson with his wife, Emma Komocki, on their wedding day

The couple earlier got engaged in February 2023.

Lockie Ferguson with Emma Komocki (right) after their engagement

Relationships/Affairs

He was in a relationship with Kat Houk before breaking up with her.

Lockie Ferguson with Kat Houk (right)

He started dating Emma Komocki in 2022.

Lockie Ferguson with Emma Komocki (left)

Religion

He follows Christianity. ^[2]Instagram – Ben Horne

Signature

Lockie Ferguson’s signature

Career

Domestic

In the 2008-2009 season, he played for Auckland Second XI and Auckland Under-19. From 2011-2012 to the 2015-2016 season, he played for Auckland A. In the 2012-2013 season, he started playing for Auckland. From the 2014-2015 to the 2019-2020 seasons, he played for New Zealand XI.

Lockie Ferguson when he played for Auckland

International

New Zealand A

From the 2016-2017 to the 2018-2019 season, he played for New Zealand A.

Test

He made his test debut on 12 December 2019 against Australia in Perth and conceded 47 runs in 11 overs.

ODI

He played his first ODI match on 4 December 2016 against Australia in Sydney and took 1 wicket for 73 runs and got out on a duck. On 11 November 2018, he took 5 wickets for 45 runs against Pakistan.

Lockie Ferguson playing in an ODI match for New Zealand

ODI World Cup

In the 2019 World Cup held in England, he took 21 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 19.48, a strike rate of 23.90, and an economy rate of 4.89.

Lockie Ferguson with his parents during the 2019 ODI World Cup

In the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India, he took 10 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 30.10, a strike rate of 32.40, and an economy rate of 5.57.

Lockie Ferguson with a Man of the Match award during the 2023 ODI World Cup

T20I

He played his debut T20I on 3 January 2017 against Bangladesh in Napier and took 3 wickets for 32 runs. On 27 November 2020, he took his first T20I 5-wicket haul against West Indies with 5 wickets for 21 runs.

T20 World Cup

In the 2022 T20 World Cup held in Australia, he took 7 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 22.71, a strike rate of 16.79, and an economy rate of 8.37. On 17 June 2024 in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he bowled 4 maiden overs and took 3 wickets against Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Leagues

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In the 2017 IPL auction, he was acquired by Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) for his base price of Rs 50 lakh. In the 2019 IPL auction, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired him for Rs 1.60 crore against his base price of Rs 1 crore.

Lockie Ferguson bowling during a practice session for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

In the IPL 2022 mega auction, he was acquired by Gujarat Titans for Rs 10 crore against his base price of Rs 2 crore. Ahead of IPL season 16 in 2023, he was traded to KKR from Gujarat Titans. In the 2024 auction, he was acquired by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for his base price of Rs 2 crore.

Lockie Ferguson playing for Gujarat Titans

Vitality Blast

In 2018, he played for Derbyshire Cricket Club in the T20 Vitality Blast Championship in England. In 2021, he represented Yorkshire Cricket Club in the T20 Vitality Blast. In a match against Lancashire, he took a hattrick.

Lockie Ferguson playing for Yorkshire Cricket Club

The Hundred

In 2021, he played for Manchester Originals in The Hundred tournament. He played for Welsh Fire in the 2023 season of The Hundred.

Lockie Ferguson playing for Welsh Fire in The Hundred

Major League Cricket (MLC)

In the maiden MLC season in 2023, he represented the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR).

Lockie Ferguson celebrating a wicket for Los Angeles Knight Riders

Jersey Number

He earlier wore jersey number 87 for New Zealand but later started wearing jersey number 69 for New Zealand in international tournaments, for Auckland in domestic competitions, and for KKR in IPL.

Lockie Ferguson earlier jersey number 87 for New Zealand

Lockie Ferguson jersey number 69 for New Zealand

Lockie Ferguson’s jersey number 69 for Auckland

Lockie Ferguson’s jersey number 69 for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL

Injuries

Lockie Ferguson has suffered many injuries during his career. He has suffered a stress fracture in his back, injuries in his foot, arms, knee, and shoulder, and a right Achilles injury in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

An X-ray showing arm injury of Lockie Ferguson

Records

• The second player to dismiss 2 wickets in the first two deliveries in T20Is
• The first player to bowl 4 maiden overs in a T20I World Cup match (Second player after Saad Bin Zafar to do this in T20Is)

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• Named as Rising Star of the Squad in 2019 by ICC

• Named in the Team of the Tournament (of 2019 World Cup) by the ICC

• Fastest Delivery of the Season Award in IPL 15 in 2022

Car Collection

He owns a Singer Porsche 911, a 2015 Dodge Challenger, and an Audi RS 4 Avant.

Lockie Ferguson with his 2015 Dodge Challenger

Salary/Income

His income for 2024 was Rs 2 crore ($241,000 approx) from his IPL contract with RCB. ^[3]WION

Favourites

• Food: Sushi

• Cuisine: Japanese

• Cricket Ground: Lord’s London

• Cheat meal: New York-style Pepperoni pizza

• City to eat out: New York

• Shot: Off drive

• Delivery: Yorker, Bouncer

Tattoos

Lockie has got multiple tattoos inked on his body including one on his ring finger, one on his right wrist, and one below the back of his neck.

Lockie Ferguson’s ring finger tattoo

The tattoo below the back of the neck of Lockie Ferguson

Facts/Trivia

• His batting style is right-handed, and his bowling style is right-arm fast.

• His fans have given him the nickname ‘Whakamana Express’ for his pace and bowling to the body of batsmen. ^[4]Instagram – The ACC

• While studying in school, he won the National Schools Fast Bowling Competition in 2008. He was also named the Quickest Secondary School Bowler Of New Zealand.
  

  Lockie Ferguson (extreme right) during the National Schools Fast Bowling Competition in 2008

• During his early teenage years, he changed his name from Lauchlan to Lockie as he liked the unusual spelling. ^[5]Stuff

• When he suffered injuries during his early cricketing days, Simon Doull started mentoring him and later introduced him to Didier Poppe, the French Olympic throwing coach, who worked on Ferguson’s chest and shoulder strength. ^[6]Firstpost

• He worked as an account executive from March 2013 to November 2013.

• In January 2019, he co-founded a mobile application named Machineroad with his elder brother, Mitch Ferguson. The application requires a tripod and a mobile and gives information about ball speed, ball tracking, pitch mapping, good lengths, and bowling loads which also helps Lockie with workload management. ^[7]LinkedIn – Lockie Ferguson
  

  Lockie Ferguson’s brother Mitch Ferguson operating the Machineroad application

• He revealed in an interview that he decided to grow his moustache after seeing the Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan who was famous for his moustache. He termed it as upper lip fashion and said that he would like to see West Indies cricketer Sunil Narine and fellow New Zealand cricketer Trent Boult with moustaches as well. ^[8]Facebook – Indian Premier League
  

  Lockie Ferguson’s moustache

•  He often eats non-vegetarian foods to fulfil his nutritional needs.

• Before playing any match in New Zealand, he often eats avocado on toast with scrambled eggs and coffee.

• He is popular for bowling deliveries above 150 kph (93 mph) with ease. His fastest delivery was clocked at 157.3 kph (97.7 mph) while bowling for Gujarat Giants during the IPL final against Rajasthan Royals on 29 May 2022. ^[9]Sportstar

Lockie Ferguson Sold To RCB For 2CR!!

Fastest Ball in IPL 2022 – 157.3 KM/H (L Ferguson)
Fastest Ball in IPL 2023 – 154.1 KM/H (L Ferguson)

Good Buy RCB!!#iplauction2024 #IPLAuction #LockieFerguson #RCB #IPL #indianprimierleague #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/ihzqZ3zLX8

— Cartoon Cricket Council (@cccseries) December 19, 2023

• He likes playing golf, camping, surfing, and travelling during his free time.
  

  Lockie Ferguson during surfing practice

• He likes vintage watches and owns a Bell & Ross Vintage WW1-92 Military wristwatch which is a tribute to the first wristwatches worn by pilots in the 1920s.
  

  Lockie Ferguson’s Bell & Ross Vintage WW1-92 Military wristwatch

• He likes to exercise in the gym and do meditation to maintain his fitness, focus, and endurance.
  

  Lockie Ferguson during a gym session

• Lockie Ferguson supports various social awareness initiatives. In 2019, he raised awareness about heart problems in children.
  

  Lockie Ferguson during the campaign for spreading awareness about health problems

• He likes drinking alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer during parties or in his free time.
  

  Lockie Ferguson (centre) drinking beer during Christmas celebrations

• He likes to do photography and owns several cameras.
  

  Lockie Ferguson showing his cameras

• He often plays video games during his time away from cricket.
  

  Lockie Ferguson playing a video game

Amit

Abhishek Sharma is an Indian cricketer. He plays for Punjab in the domestic circuit and SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. He made headlines after the suicide of model Tania Singh in 2024.

Wiki/Biography

Abhishek Sharma was born on Monday, 4 September 2000 (age 24 years; as of 2024) in Amritsar, Punjab, India. His zodiac sign is Virgo. He started playing cricket at the young age of three and a half years and trained under his father, Rajkumar Sharma, who also played cricket for age group teams of India.

A childhood photo of Abhishek Sharma

He did his schooling at Delhi Public School (DPS), Amritsar. ^[1]Facebook – Delhi Public School, Amritsar He later studied at DAV College, Amritsar. ^[2]The Tribune He later became a professional cricketer.

Abhishek Sharma with Sachin Tendulkar (left) during his school years

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 8″

Weight (approx.): 60 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 40″, Waist 32″, Biceps 12″

Family

He belongs to a Punjabi family.

Parents & Siblings

His father, Rajkumar Sharma, is a former Indian cricketer and works in the Bank of India in Amritsar. His mother, Manju Sharma, is a homemaker. He has two sisters named Sania Sharma who has a daughter named Amayra and Komal Sharma who is a doctor and works in S.G.R.D. Medical College, Amritsar.

Abhishek Sharma with his parents

Abhishek Sharma with his sister, Sania Sharma

Abhishek Sharma with his sister, Komal Sharma

Abhishek Sharma with his niece, Amayra

Wife & Children

He is unmarried.

Relationships/Affairs

He had a relationship with a model named Tania Singh who committed suicide in 2024.

Abhishek Sharma with Tania Singh (right)

In February 2025, he was rumoured to be dating a Delhi-based model and fashion designer named Laila Faisal.

Laila Faisal’s photo

Religion

He follows Hinduism. ^[3]Facebook – Abhishek Sharma

Career

Domestic

He played for Punjab Under-12 before playing for Punjab Under-16 from 2013 to 2016. In the 2016-2017 season, he played for Punjab Under-19. Abhishek Sharma played for North Zone Under-19 in the 2016-17 season, Central Districts XI in the 2017-18 season, and Punjab Under-23 in the 2018-19 season.

Abhishek Sharma during his early cricket playing days

On 25 February 2017, he made his List A debut for Punjab in the 2016–17 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 6 October 2017, he made his first-class debut for Punjab in the in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy. On 28 February 2021, he scored a hundred in 42 balls against  Madhya Pradesh which is the fastest hundred by an Indian in List-A cricket. He captained Punjab in the 2022-23 Ranji season.

Abhishek Sharma during a domestic circuit

In the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), he scored 112 runs off 51 deliveries, helping Punjab score 275 runs for 6 wickets which is the highest T20 score by any Indian T20 team and also the highest number of sixes in an innings (22). He played for the Punjab Reds in the Trident T-20 Cricket Tournament in 2020.

Abhishek Sharma during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT)

International

India Under-19 & India A

He was a member of the India Under-19 team which won the 2018 Under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand. He has also played for India A in a few matches.

Abhishek Sharma when he played for India Under-19

T20I

He made his T-20 debut against Zimbabwe in Harare on 6 July 2024.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In the 2018 auction for season 11 of IPL, he was acquired by Delhi Daredevils (renamed Delhi Capitals) for Rs 55 lakhs against his base price of Rs 20 lakhs.

Abhishek Sharma after being acquired by Delhi Daredevils

In his first IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on 12 May 2018, he scored 46 runs off 19 balls at a strike rate of 242. In 2019, he moved to SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). In the 2022 auction, he was acquired by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 6.5 crore against his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

Abhishek Sharma in SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) jersey

Jersey Number

He wears jersey number 4 during IPL matches.

Abhishek Sharma’s jersey number 4

Controversy

Suicide by Tania Singh

On 20 February 2024, a model named Tania Singh (also spelt as Tanya Singh) committed suicide at her apartment in Happy Elegance Apartments on Vesu Road in Surat, Gujarat; she committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling.

A photo of Tania Singh

Police later said that Tania made the last call to Abhishek Sharma from her mobile, and upon further investigation, many photos of Abhishek and Tania were found in her phone following which a summon was sent to Abhishek for questioning. Reportedly, they were in a relationship and had broken up a few months ago before this incident after which Abhishek has blocked her phone number and other social media accounts. ^[4]India Today ^[5]Jansatta

Heated Exchange during a Match

He attracted controversy during his match with Lucknow Super Giants on 19 May 2025 when he had a heated exchange of words with Digvesh Singh Rathi, who dismissed him and celebrated with his notorious “notebook celebration,” for which he has been penalised twice before. The gesture offended Sharma, due to which he returned to the pitch and confronted Rathi. This resulted in the BCCI and the IPL’s governing body imposing a 25 per cent match fees penalty on him, whereas Digvesh was penalised 50 per cent of match fees and suspended from the next match.

An empire intervening into the altercation between Digvesh and Abhishek

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• Raj Singh Dungarpur Award for being the highest scorer in the Vijay Merchant Trophy (2015-2016)
  

  Abhishek Sharma (right) with the Raj Singh Dungarpur Award

• Honoured at the Hindustan Times Awards in 2017
  

  Abhishek Sharma (left) at the Hindustan Times Awards

Salary/Income

His income for 2024 was around Rs 6.5 crore from his IPL contract with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). ^[6]Rediff

Favourites

• Cricketer(s): Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni

• Food: Rajma Chawal

• Film: Extraction (2020)

• Actor(s): Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh

• Actress: Deepika Padukone

• Cheat meal: Pizza

• Fashion Brand: H & M

Piercings

He has got both of his ears pierced.

Abhishek Sharma’s ear piercing

Facts/Trivia

• His batting style is left-handed, and his bowling style is slow-left-arm orthodox. He is a batting allrounder and mostly plays in the lower middle order.
  

  Abhishek Sharma’s batting stance

• He likes to play video games on PlayStation during his free time.

• He has trained under various coaches including Parkash Chand, Harwinder Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, and Rajan Gill.
  

  Abhishek Sharma with Yuvraj Singh (left)

• Abhishek likes to travel whenever he gets time from cricket.
  

  Abhishek Sharma during a visit to the beach

• He is a dog lover and owns a pet dog.
  

  Abhishek Sharma with his pet dog

• Apart from cricket, he likes playing golf.
  

  Abhishek Sharma (extreme right) during a golf session

• He often works out in the gym to maintain his fitness.
  

  Abhishek Sharma during a gym session

Amit

Zaheer Khan is a retired Indian cricketer, entrepreneur, and cricket director. He is considered one of the finest left-arm Indian bowlers ever. He was the highest wicket-taker for India in the 2011 ODI World Cup which India won. He took more than 600 wickets during his international career of more than a decade. After retiring from international cricket in 2015, he became an entrepreneur and cricket director.

Wiki/Biography

Zaheer Khan was born on Sunday, 8 October 1978 (age 46 years; as of 2024) in Shrirampur, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India. His zodiac sign is Libra. He did his schooling at New Marathi Primary School and the K.J. Somaiyya Secondary School in Shrirampur.

A childhood photo of Zaheer Khan

In 1996, he came to Mumbai from Shrirampur at the age of 18 years and started training at the National Cricket Club where he trained under Vidya Paradkar. Later, coach Sudhir Naik saw him bowling and convinced him to become a cricketer; he had never bowled with a leather ball before that trial.

Zaheer Khan (left) with Sudhir Naik (right)

Khan dropped the idea of pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree and focused solely on becoming a cricketer as Naik told him to work hard since his age was already more than many other aspiring cricketers. He also worked at SunGrace Mafatlal company where he earned Rs 5000 per month.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 11″

Weight (approx.): 75 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Brown

Family

He belongs to a Marathi Muslim family.

Parents & Siblings

His father, Bakhtiyar Khan, is a retired photographer, and his mother, Zakia Khan, is a teacher.

Zaheer Khan’s father, Bakhtiyar Khan

Zaheer Khan with his mother

He has an elder brother named Zeeshan Khan who is an engineer. His younger brother, Anees Khan, has done a hotel management course in the United Kingdom (UK) and is married to Alifya Sayed.

Zaheer Khan’s younger brother, Anees Khan, with his wife, Alifya Sayed

Wife & Children

He got married to Sagarika Ghatge, an Indian actress, on 23 November 2017; the couple had a court marriage.

Zaheer Khan with his wife, Sagarika Ghatge

They had earlier got engaged to each other in April 2017. On 16 April 2025, the couple welcomed a baby boy named Fatehsinh Khan.

Zaheer Khan with Sagarika Ghatge (right) after their engagement

Relationships/Affairs

In 2005, Zaheer Khan started dating Isha Sharvani, an Indian actress and was in a relationship with her for eight years till 2012.

Zaheer Khan (extreme right) with Isha Sharvani (second from left)

He later met Sagarika Ghatge at a party and became friends with her. Sagarika later became his girlfriend.

Zaheer Khan (extreme left) with Sagarika Ghatge (extreme right) at Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech’s wedding

Religion

He follows Islam.

Zaheer Khan during a trip to Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Signature/Autograph

Zaheer Khan’s autograph

Career

Cricketer

Domestic

In the 1997-98 season, he played for Mumbai Under-19 and West Zone Under-19. From 1998-99 to 2000-01 season, he played for Madras Rubber Factory. He represented the Australian Cricket Academy in the 1999-00 season.

Zaheer Khan during his early cricket playing days

He later attended MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai where the coach T. A. Sekhar advised him to play for Baroda. He made his Ranji debut for Baroda in the 2000-01 season and took 8 wickets for 145 runs in the final match, helping Baroda win the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 43 years. In the 2006-07 season, Zaheer Khan started playing for Mumbai in the domestic circuit and played for them till the 2013-14 season.

Zaheer Khan during a domestic match

International

Test

Zaheer Khan made his test debut on 10 November 2000 against Bangladesh at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka and took 2 wickets for 49 runs in the first innings and 1 wicket for 20 runs in the second innings.

Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, and Munaf Patel (left to right) during a test practice session

He took his first test 5-wicket haul in December 2002 with 5 wickets for 53 runs in the first innings against New Zealand. In January 2010, he took his only test 10-wicket haul with 3 wickets for 62 runs in the first innings and 7 wickets for 87 runs in the second innings. He played his last test match on 14 February 2014 against New Zealand in Wellington.

Zaheer Khan with Sachin Tendulkar (right) during a test match

ODI

He played his debut ODI match on 3 October 2000 against Kenya at Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi and took 3 wickets for 48 runs.

Zaheer Khan during his ODI debut

He took 3 wickets for 62 runs in the NatWest Trophy final in 2002 which India won, and he was also the last man standing; the famous incident at Lord’s London happened after the match when Sourav Ganguly took off his t-shirt and waved it.

Zaheer Khan with Mohammad Kaif (left) after winning the 2002 NatWest Trophy

On 14 February 2007, he took his only ODI 5-wicket haul with 5 wickets for 42 runs against Sri Lanka. He played his final ODI match on 4 August 2012 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

ODI World Cup

In the 2003 ODI World Cup held in South Africa, he took 18 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 20.78, an economy rate of 4.23, and a strike rate of 29.44.

Zaheer Khan with Sourav Ganguly (left) during the 2003 ODI World Cup

In the 2007 ODI World Cup held in West Indies, he claimed 5 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 24.40, an economy rate of 4.21, and a strike rate of 34.80. In the 2011 ODI World Cup held in India, he emerged as the spearhead of the Indian bowling attack by taking 21 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 18.76, an economy rate of 4.83, and a strike rate of 23.29.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan (left to right) with the 2011 ODI World Cup Trophy

T20I

He played his debut T20I match on 1 December 2006 against South Africa at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg and took 2 wickets for 15 runs. He played his last T20 match on 2 October 2012 against South Africa in Colombo.

Zaheer Khan bowling in a T20 match

T20 World Cup

Zaheer Khan took 7 wickets in 5 matches in the 2009 T20 World Cup held in England. In the 2010 T20 World Cup held in West Indies, he took 2 wickets in 3 matches. He claimed 3 wickets in 4 matches in the 2012 T20 World Cup held in Sri Lanka.

Zaheer Khan with Ashish Nehra (right) during a practice session in the 2010 ODI World Cup

Leagues

County

Zaheer Khan played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in England in the 2006 County season. On his debut against Somerset, he took a ten-wicket haul. In June 2006, during the match against Essex, he took 9 wickets for 138 runs in the first innings and missed taking the wicket of Darren Gough, the last batsman, as wicket-keeper Steven Davies dropped a catch.

Zaheer Khan in Worcestershire County Cricket Club jersey

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In the 2008 IPL auction, he was acquired by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for $450 thousand against his base price of $200 thousand for the inaugural IPL season in 2008.

Zaheer Khan with Virat Kohli (left) during a practice session for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

He represented Mumbai Indians in the 2009 and 2010 IPL seasons after being swapped for Robin Uthappa. RCB acquired him for Rs 4.14 crores for the 2011 IPL season and played for them till 2013. During the IPL auction for season 7 in 2014, MI acquired him for Rs 2.6 crores against his base price of Rs 1 crore.

Zaheer Khan during an IPL match for Mumbai Indians (MI)

Delhi Daredevils (renamed Delhi Capitals) acquired him for Rs 4 crore against his base price of Rs 1 crore for the 2015 IPL season and played for them till 2017, serving as their captain in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, he became the 8th Indian bowler (10th overall), to pick 100 IPL wickets.

Zaheer Khan with Rahul Dravid (left) when he played for Delhi Daredevils

St. Moritz Ice Cricket

He played for Badrutt’s Palace Diamonds in the St. Moritz Ice Cricket T20 Tournament in 2018 held in Saint Moritz, Switzerland.

Zaheer Khan (extreme right) when he played for Badrutt’s Palace Diamonds

Abu Dhabi T10 League

In the 2018 season of the T10 League, he represented the Bengal Tigers. He played for Delhi Bulls in the 2019 T10 League.

Zaheer Khan when he was acquired by Delhi Bulls

Jersey Number

He wore jersey number 34 in international fixtures and IPL matches.

Zaheer Khan’s jersey number 34

Injuries

He suffered many injuries during his career which halted his progress and did not allow him to play for longer periods for India. He injured his hamstring, ankle, knee, and shoulder multiple times and underwent multiple surgeries to treat those injuries. His comebacks after frequent injuries made the phrase ‘Zak is back’ popular among his fans.

Zaheer Khan after his ankle surgery

Retirement

Zaheer Khan retired from international cricket on 15 October 2015. He wrote in a tweet,

I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off with IPL 9.”

I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off with IPL 9. #ZaksNewBeginning pic.twitter.com/FLpaokbLy1

— zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) October 15, 2015

Stats

Fielding & Bowling

Tests

• Matches: 92

• Innings: 165

• Catches: 19

• Most Catches in an Innings: 2

• Most Catches in a Match: 2

• Overs: 3130.5

• Wickets Taken: 311

• Balls Bowled: 18785

• Runs Conceded: 10247

• Maidens: 624

• Average: 32.95

• Strike Rate: 60.40

• Economy: 3.27

• 5 wicket haul: 11

• 10 wicket haul: 1

• Best Bowling Figures in an Inning: 7 wickets for 87 runs

• Best Bowling in a Match: 10 wickets for 149 runs

ODIs

• Matches: 200

• Innings: 197

• Catches: 43

• Most Catches in a Match: 3

• Overs: 1682.5

• Wickets Taken: 282

• Balls Bowled: 10097

• Runs Conceded: 8301

• Maidens: 117

• Average: 29.44

• Strike Rate: 35.80

• Economy: 4.93

• 5-wicket haul: 1

• Best Bowling Figures in a Match: 5 wickets for 42 runs

T20Is

• Matches: 17

• Innings: 17

• Catches: 2

• Most Catches in a Match: 1

• Overs: 58.4

• Wickets Taken: 17

• Balls Bowled: 352

• Runs Conceded: 448

• Maidens: 0

• Average: 26.35

• Strike Rate: 20.7

• Economy: 7.63

• Best Bowling Figures in a Match: 4 wickets for 19 runs

IPL

• Matches: 100

• Innings: 100

• Catches: 21

• Most Catches in a Match: 2

• Overs: 366.4

• Wickets Taken: 102

• Balls Bowled: 2200

• Runs Conceded: 2782

• Maidens: 5

• Average: 27.27

• Strike Rate: 21.57

• Economy: 7.59

• Best Bowling Figures in a Match: 4 wickets for 17 runs

Batting

Tests

• Matches: 92

• Innings: 127

• Not Outs: 24

• Ducks: 29

• Runs: 1231

• Balls Faced: 2381

• Average: 11.95

• Strike Rate: 51.70

• Highest Score: 75 runs

• Fours: 141

• Sixes: 28

• 50s: 3

• 100s: 0

ODIs

• Matches: 200

• Innings: 101

• Not Outs: 35

• Ducks: 15

• Runs: 792

• Balls Faced: 1078

• Average: 12

• Strike Rate: 73.46

• Highest Score: 34 runs not out

• Fours: 69

• Sixes: 24

• 50s: 0

T20Is

• Matches: 17

• Innings: 4

• Not Outs: 2

• Ducks: 0

• Runs: 13

• Balls Faced: 10

• Average: 6.50

• Strike Rate: 130

• Highest Score: 9 runs

• Fours: 0

• Sixes: 1

• 50s: 0

IPL

• Matches: 100

• Innings: 32

• Not Outs: 18

• Ducks: 5

• Runs: 117

• Balls Faced: 141

• Average: 8.36

• Strike Rate: 82.98

• Highest Score: 23 runs not out

• Fours: 11

• Sixes: 2

Records

• Highest 10th wicket partnership for India in tests; he scored 75 runs, his highest test score, with Sachin Tendulkar, who also scored his highest test score of 248 runs not out, in a test against Bangladesh on 10 December 2004

• Indian player with the most golden ducks (7) in tests (shared with Kapil Dev and Mohammed Shami)

• First Indian cricketer to be dismissed twice on a Diamond Duck in ODIs (Dismissed without facing a ball)

• First Worcestershire County Cricket Club player to take 10 wickets on debut

• Oldest player to take 100 wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) (At the age of 38 years)

Cricket Management Roles

In December 2018, he was appointed as Director of Cricket Operations for the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians (MI). In September 2022, he became the Global head of cricket development for MI.

Zaheer Khan with Rohit Sharma (right) when he became Director of Cricket Operations

He has also served as a commentator in various IPL and international matches and as a panellist in various cricket discussion shows.

Zaheer Khan with Waqar Younis (left) during a cricket discussion show

Entrepreneur

Fitness Ventures

In 2014, he opened the ProSport Fitness gym and physiotherapy centre in Lower Parel, Mumbai and appointed cricket trainers Adrian Le Roux and Andrew Leipus as consultants. In 2016, he opened one more fitness hub in Nashik. In an interview, Khan said that he planned to open such hubs in 15 Indian cities. ^[1]The Economic Times

Zaheer Khan with Yuvraj Singh (right) at ProSport Fitness Gym

In 2019, he co-founded a mobile application centred around fitness named StepSetGo (SSG) with Shivjeet Ghatge (CEO), Mishaal Turakhia (CPO) and Abhay Pai (CTO) which had around 9 million (90 lakh) downloads and 5 lakh active users in 2021. The application company received Rs 5 crore in seed funding from Huddle, BeyondSeed, Dexter Angels and Seeders LLP. ^[2]Moneycontrol

Zaheer Khan promoting his fitness application StepSetGo

Hotelier

Zaheer owns many hotels and lounges including ZK’s in Pune, which opened in 2005, Toss Sports Lounge on the 2nd Floor, Winners Court, 23 Sahani Sujan Park, Near NIBM, Lulla Nagar, Kondhwa, Pune, opened in 2013, and Zaheer Khan’s Dine Fine at Ground Floor, Winners Court, 23 Sahani Sujan Park, Near NIBM, Lulla Nagar, Kondhwa, Pune, opened in 2014; the restaurants and lounges are maintained by his brother, Anees Khan, under Zaheer Khan’s Hospitality Private Limited. ^[3]GQ India

Zaheer Khan with Sachin Tendulkar (right) during the opening of Toss Sports Lounge

Controversies

Fight with a fan

In 2006, Zaheer Khan was playing in an international match in Centurion, South Africa. Allegedly, some people of Indian origin started abusing Indian players, and their families from the stands. Elize Lombard, the head of the Northern Cricket Union, said that her security chief, Darell Vorster, told her that Zaheer threw a bottle, lying near the boundary rope, at a fan who threw it back to him after which Khan did not do anything. The man named Nitin later entered the Indian dressing room where Khan allegedly caught him by the collar and threatened to beat him. Nitin claimed that he went to the dressing room to ask Khan the reason for throwing the bottle at him. Indian media manager Rajan Nair said that a man had entered the dressing room by accident and had been arrested. Khan denied being involved in any such incident. ^[4]Hindustan Times

Jelly Beans Incident

During the second cricket test against England at Nottingham in July 2007, when Zaheer Khan came to bat in the first innings, he found a jelly bean at the crease which he removed. He later found some more jelly beans thrown at the crease after which he showed those to the umpires and also told English fielders, particularly waving his bat to Kevin Pietersen to not do such acts.

Zaheer Khan waving his bat to Kevin Pietersen during the jelly beans incident

This incident angered Khan after which he took 5 wickets for 75 runs in the second innings. After the match, the Indian team accused English fielders of trying to break the focus of Zaheer Khan following which English captain Michael Vaughan apologised for the incident. ^[5]Sky Sports ^[6]Hindustan Times

Fight with police

In December 2008, Zaheer Khan was staying at a hotel in Chennai, Tamil Nadu for a test match between India and England. One of his friends, a Tamil Nadu cricketer, came to meet him; however, Tamil Nadu police officials stopped him as his name was not on the list of approved visitors. This angered Khan who came downstairs to the entry point and quarrelled with the police officers. His friend was eventually allowed to go inside the hotel; however, Tamil Nadu Police complained to the Indian team management and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association about this incident. ^[7]Hindustan Times

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• Named Cricketer of the Year by BCCI in 2002

• Nominated for ICC Test Player of the Year in 2007

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2008

• Nominated for Twenty20 Performer of the Year in 2009

• Arjuna Award in 2011
  

  Zaheer Khan with Arjuna Award

• Nominated for ICC Cricketer of the Year, Test Player of the Year, and ODI Player of the Year in 2011
  

  Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan (left to right) during ICC Awards

• Named in ICC Team of the 2011 ODI World Cup and Test Team of the Year in 2011

• HT Most Stylish Personality of the Year 2015

• Padma Shri in 2020

Car Collection

He owns a Honda Accord, a Toyota Fortuner SUV, an Audi A8, and a Mercedes Benz S-Class.

Zaheer Khan in his Mercedes Benz S-Class

Salary/Income

As of February 2024, his monthly income is around Rs 50 lakh from his real estate investments, advertisements, and other ventures. ^[8]MensXP

Net Worth

His net worth is around Rs 182 crores as of February 2024. ^[9]MensXP

Assets & Properties

In January 2021, he bought a 4,000 sq ft duplex property located on the 40th and 41st floor of the Indiabulls Sky Project in Mumbai for Rs 11.5 crore and paid a stamp duty of Rs 37.4 lakh for the 3957 sq ft (carpet area) property located on Senapati Bapat Marg, Parel. ^[10]Moneycontrol

Zaheer Khan at his home

Favourites

• Food: Mutton Biryani

• Dessert: Cheesecake

• Cricketer(s): Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards, Wasim Akram

• Actor(s): Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan

• Athlete: Roger Federer

• Film(s): Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Lakshya (2004), Chak De! India (2007), Rock On!! (2008), 3 Idiots (2009), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

Facts/Trivia

• His batting style is right-handed, and his bowling style is left-arm medium fast.

• When he started playing cricket, he used to read ‘The Art of Fast Bowling’ book by the Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee.

• During his initial cricket playing days, he was afraid of travelling in planes. He once had to go to Madhya Pradesh from Mumbai on a flight, he asked his coach Vidyadhar Paradkar to sit alongside him in the place.

• In 2005, during the test match between India and Pakistan in Bengaluru, a female fan was seen holding a placard with ‘Zaheer, I Love You’ written on it. When she was shown on the screen in the stadium, the cameraman started showing Khan who was sitting with Yuvraj Singh in the dugout. The girl gave a flying kiss to Khan who also gave a flying kiss in reply.

@virendersehwag THIS MAN CAN DO ANYTHING @ImZaheer .Sehwag stopped match when Zaheer Khan got PROPOSAL. See what happened next . pic.twitter.com/lIlwAxCGUC

— Sandy_B (@Sandybisht7) August 2, 2017

• He followed superstitions whenever he played which included tying the left shoe before the right shoe. Reportedly, he always kept a yellow handkerchief in his pocket whenever he played which he believed to be his lucky charm.

• He has often faced backlash from radical Islamists during his life. He was criticised for marrying Sagarika Ghatge, a Hindu. He often posts his photos celebrating Hindu festivals such as Diwali and visits to Hindu temples for which he has received several hate messages.
  

  Zaheer Khan during a visit to Shri Saibaba’s Samadhi Temple

• His fans and friends often call him by his nicknames Zak, Zippy, and Zakky.

• Zaheer is often called a master of technique who prepared hard for matches. Before the 2011 World Cup, he learnt the craft of bowling knuckle ball for a year which helped him take many wickets in the tournament. He is also called a legend of swing bowling.

• In 2014, during a test match against New Zealand, a video clip went viral in which Ishant Sharma was heard saying some expletives. In the video, Zaheer Khan was seen fielding the ball. When Sharma was asked if he said those words for Khan, he said that Khan was like his guru (mentor), and he uttered those words out of frustration as Brendon McCullum was scoring a lot of runs. ^[11]Dainik Jagran
  

  Zaheer Khan with Ishant Sharma (right)

• Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have very similar stats in their test career. Both have taken 311 wickets, with 104 wickets in India and 207 wickets abroad, with eleven 5-wicket hauls.
  

  A photo comparing Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma’s stats

• He is considered to be a fashion icon and has walked the ramp for various brands in different fashion shows. In 2011, he became the brand ambassador of the fashion brand Sher Singh.
  

  Zaheer Khan (second from left) when he became the brand ambassador of the fashion brand Sher Singh

• He is an avid traveller and has visited many countries such as Russia, France, and Maldives.
  

  Zaheer Khan during a trip to Maldives

• Zaheer Khan has been featured in several advertisements for various companies. In 2021, he became the brand ambassador of the sports betting platform, SportsBaazi.

• In an interview, he talked about his captains Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He described Ganguly as the confidence-giving captain who turned boys into match winners and Dhoni as the transformer who changed watch winners into world beaters. In an interview, Dhoni described Khan as one of the most intelligent pacers and Sachin Tendulkar of Indian bowling.
  

  Zaheer Khan with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (right)

• He is very popular on social media and has a huge following. As of February 2024, he has 4.6 million followers on Facebook ^[12]Facebook – Zaheer Khan, 1.5 million followers on Instagram ^[13]Instagram – Zaheer Khan, and 5.8 million followers on Twitter. ^[14]Twitter – Zaheer Khan

• He is a dog lover and has a pet dog named Logan.
  

  Zaheer Khan with his pet dog, Logan

• He likes drinking alcoholic beverages such as wine with his wife and friends.
  

  Zaheer Khan drinking wine with his wife, Sagarika Ghatge

• He likes playing golf during his free time.
  

  Zaheer Khan (extreme left) playing golf

• During his initial playing days, he was a very aggressive batsman. In an ODI match against Zimbabwe in December 2000, he hit 4 sixes in the last 4 balls of the Indian innings, bowled by Henry Olonga.

• He was considered a threat to left-handed batsmen. He has dismissed Graeme Smith (most dismissals-14 times), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Matthew Hayden more than 10 times.

• His bowling speed was often recorded above 140 kph (87 mph). His fastest ball was clocked at 147 kph (91 mph) against Holland in the 2003 ODI World Cup.

• Zaheer became the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants, an IPL franchise, by replacing Gautam Gambhir on 28 August 2024.

Amit

Sushant Mishra is an Indian cricketer who has played for Jharkhand in the domestic circuit and India Under-19 in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. He has played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Wiki/Biography

Sushant Mishra was born on Sunday, 23 December 2000 (age 23 years; as of 2024) in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. He did his schooling at S.R.DAV Public School, Pundag, Ranchi. ^[1]Facebook – Sushant Mishra He belongs to Tumol village in the Alinagar block of Darbhanga district in Bihar. He used to play cricket in his society, Shalimar Bagh Colony in Pundag. He was inspired to become a cricketer in 2011 when the Indian team won the 2011 World Cup held in India.

A childhood photo of Sushant Mishra

In 2012, he joined Harmu Youth Cricket Club (HYCC) in Ranchi where he trained under Satyam Roy. He later went to a cricket academy where the coach Shashikant Pathak trained him to become a fast bowler. He joined Argora Cricket Academy, Ranchi when he was 15 years old.

Sushant Mishra during his early teenage years

He initially pursued a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English (Honours) degree at Sharda University, Delhi which he later changed to BA Sociology (Honours). ^[2]Facebook – Sharda University ^[3]Instagram – Sharda University He later became a professional cricketer.

A Facebook post by Sharda University for Sushant Mishra after the 2024 IPL auction

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42″, Waist 32″, Biceps 12″

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father’s name is Samir Kumar Mishra, who works as a medical agent, and his mother’s name is Mamta Mishra; they got married on 18 June 1998. He is the only child of his parents.

Sushant Mishra with his parents

Wife & Children

He is unmarried and does not have any children.

Other Relatives

His grandfather’s name is Krishna Dev Mishra who lives in Darbhanga.

Sushant Mishra with his grandfather

Religion

He follows Hinduism. ^[4]Instagram – Sushant Mishra

Career

Domestic

In 2013, he played for Ranchi and won the U-14 inter-district JSCA Tournament. In 2014, he played for Jharkhand Under-14 team. He played for East Zone in the 2-day match inter-zonal under-16 tournament organised by National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru in 2017.

Sushant Mishra when he played for Jharkhand Under-14

From 2015-16 to  2016-17 season, he played for Jharkhand Under-16. He played for Jharkhand Under-19 from 2017-18 to 2019-20; he trained under Manish Vardhan while playing for the team. He was the highest wicket-taker for Jharkhand Under-23 in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI’s) one-day tournaments in 2018-19 with 18 wickets in 7 matches. On 8 December 2021, he made his List-A debut for Jharkhand in the 2021–22 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 17 February 2022, he made his Ranji debut for Jharkhand.

Sushant Mishra during a domestic tournament

International

India Under-19

Sushant Mishra played for India Under-19 in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup held in South Africa. He took 7 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 19.85, an economy rate of 4.45, and a strike rate of 26.7.

Sushant Mishra with Rahul Dravid (left) during the 2020 Under-19 World Cup

Indian Premier League (IPL)

He was selected as one of the net bowlers for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the 2020 IPL season. In the 2022 IPL season, he became a member of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as a replacement for Saurabh Dubey at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. In the auction for the 2024 IPL season, he was acquired by Gujarat Titans (GT) for Rs 2.20 crore against his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

Sushant Mishra with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma (right to left) when he was a net bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

Jersey Number

He initially wore jersey number 23 when he played for India Under-19 and later started wearing jersey number 32.

Sushant Mishra’s jersey number 23

Sushant Mishra’s jersey number 32

Bike Collection

He owns a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.

Sushant Mishra sitting on his Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 bike

Car Collection

He owns a Mahindra Scorpio-N SUV.

Sushant Mishra with his Mahindra Scorpio-N SUV

Salary/Income

His income was Rs 2.2 crore from his IPL contract with Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2024. ^[5]IPL

Favourites

• Food: Kadai Paneer, Chilli Chicken

• Cricketer(s): Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

Tattoos

He has inked a tattoo on his right forearm and a few words on his right wrist.

Sushant Mishra’s tattoos

Facts/Trivia

• His batting style is left-handed, and his bowling style is left-arm medium fast.

• In October 2021, he was given a job as a Senior Clerk in the Electricity Department (Operation) of South Eastern Railway Ranchi Division.
  

  Sushant Mishra (third from left) with Railway officials when he was appointed as senior clerk

• Sushant likes to work out in the gym to maintain his fitness. He often eats fish, mutton, and eggs to increase his strength. ^[6]The Telegraph
  

  Sushant Mishra during a gym workout session

• In an interview, his coach Satyam Roy said that his biggest strength was his speed, often measured around 140 kph (87 mph) and bowling variations, particularly bouncers and outswingers.
  

  Sushant Mishra with his coach, Satyam Roy (right)

• He often donates his cricket kits, shoes, and bats to aspiring cricketers who cannot afford them.

• In 2023, Sushant signed up with Square The One Private Limited, a Sports and Talent Management Company.

• He likes travelling during his free time.
  

  Sushant Mishra during a trip to a wildlife park

• When Sushant was a young child, Suresh Raina came to the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi where Sushant was playing as a net bowler. On his first delivery, Raina hit him for a six; however, he showed his talent by dismissing Raina on the second ball.
  

  Sushant Mishra (extreme right) with Suresh Raina (in yellow)

Amit

Sumit Kumar is an Indian cricketer. He plays for Haryana in the domestic circuit. He made headlines when he was acquired by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1 crore in the 2024 IPL auction.

Wiki/Biography

Sumit Kumar was born on Tuesday, 12 December 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Gurugram, Haryana, India. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius. He started playing cricket at a young age and went on to become a cricketer.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 0″

Weight (approx.): 70 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42″, Waist 32″, Biceps 12″

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about his parents. He has a brother.

Sumit Kumar with his family members

Wife & Children

There is not much information about marital status.

Religion

He follows Hinduism. ^[1]Instagram – Sumit Kumar

Career

Domestic

In 2018, he played for West Zone in the Vizzy Trophy. In 2019, he made his debut for Haryana in domestic tournaments (in first-class, List-A, and T20). He trained at Nirvana Cricket Club, Gurugram.

Sumit Kumar after making his debut for Haryana

In 2023, he helped Haryana win the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time by claiming 18 wickets in 10 matches at an economy rate of 4.15 and scoring 183 runs in the lower order at a strike rate of 155.08; he won the Man of the Tournament award for his performance.

Sumit Kumar during Vijay Hazare Trophy

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In the IPL auction for the 2024 season, Delhi Capitals (DC) acquired him for Rs 1 crore against his base price of Rs 20 Lakh.

Car Collection

He owns a Tata Harrier SUV.

Sumit Kumar with his Tata Harrier SUV

Salary/Income

He earned a yearly salary of Rs 1 crore in 2024 from his IPL contract with Delhi Capitals. ^[2]Hindustan Times

Facts/Trivia

• He follows Hardik Pandya for cricket techniques as an allrounder.

• His batting style is right-handed, and his bowling style is right-arm medium-fast. He usually plays in the lower order as a bowling allrounder.
  

  Sumit Kumar’s right-handed batting style

• He likes travelling during his free time.
  

  Sumit Kumar during a trip to Rishikesh

• He works out in the gym to maintain his fitness.
  

  Sumit Kumar during a gym session

Amit

Adam Gilchrist is an Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman known for his destructive batting and was a top-of-the-line wicketkeeper. He is widely considered one of the greatest wicket-keeper batsmen in the game’s history

Wiki/Biography

Adam Craig Gilchrist was born on Sunday, 14 November 1971 (age 52 years; as of 2023) at Bellingen Hospital in Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He grew up in Dorrigo, Junee, with his family and then moved to Deniliquin, where he won the Brian Taber Shield while playing for Deniliquin South Public School.

Adam Gilchrist’s childhood photo

At 13, he moved with his family to Lismore and played for the Kadina High School cricket team as a captain. He did his last year of schooling by correspondence. His father, Stan, supported him when he got below-average results in high school and said, 

Adam passed, but not as well as he should have, The studies were secondary to his sport and he was playing cricket six days a week for six months.”

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 1″

Weight (approx.): 75 kg

Hair Colour: Regular Brown

Eye Colour: Light Blue

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 42 Inches, Waist: 34 Inches, Biceps: 14 Inches

Family

Parents & Siblings

Adam’s father’s name is Stanley Gilchrist, and his mother’s name is June Gilchrist. His father is a cricket coach in New South Wales and was a fine cricketer during the 1960s. He played as a leg spinner and represented New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield league. ^[1]Stump to Stump

Adam Gilchrist with his parents, Stan Gilchrist (left) and June Gilchrist (right)

Adam has two elder brothers, Dene Gilchrist, and Glenn Gilchrist, and an elder sister named Jackie Gilchrist.

Adam Gilchrist (right) with his brothers during childhood

Adam Gilchrist (Top left) with his parents and siblings

Wife & Children

Adam got married to Melinda Sharpe in 1992. Melinda is a dietitian, and they have 3 sons named Harrison Gilchrist (born 2002), Archie Gilchrist (born 2007), and Ted Gilchrist (born 2011), and a daughter named Annie Jean Gilchrist (born 2005). ^[2]Perth Now

Adam Gilchrist with his wife and children during an event

Relationships/Affairs

Adam and Melinda were classmates when they started dating in 1989.

Adam Gilchrist and Melinda Sharpe

Signature/Autograph

Career

Domestic Cricket

New South Wales – 1992/93-1993/94

Gilchrist got the chance to play for his home team and made his first-class debut during the 1992-1993 season. He was selected as the backup for Phil Emery. Gilchrist made 274 runs at an average of 30.44 in his debut season, with just a single fifty to his name. In the second season, he only got the chance to play three first-class matches and scored just 43 runs at an average of 8.60.

Western Australia – 1994/95-2007/08

He moved to Western Australia for the 1994-1995 season where he took over from Tim Zoehrer as a wicketkeeper. Adam was recommended by Mark O’Neill, the coach at that time. He made 398 runs at an average of 26.53 which includes a century against South Australia. He also made 55 dismissals in his first season, which was the most by any wicketkeeper in Australian domestic cricket in 1994–95. In his second season, he scored 835 runs with a batting average of over 50. He also topped the chart again with 58 catches and four stumping in the 1995-96 season. He recorded the most dismissals for the next two seasons and remained at the top.

Domestic Stats

International

One Day Internationals

Gilchrist was included in Australia’s ODI squad for a series against South Africa in 1996; he replaced Ian Healy, who was injured. He became the 129th player to make an ODI debut for the Australian national cricket team. Gilchrist recorded his first catch as an international wicketkeeper of Hansie Cronje, who was dismissed for a golden duck by Paul Reiffel. Gilchrist’s first ODI century came in January 1998 against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where he scored 100 runs from 104 deliveries and led Australia to a seven-wicket victory.

Test Cricket

In 1999, Gilchrist replaced Ian Healy for his Test match debut and became the 381st Australian Test cricketer to achieve this feat. Gilchrist scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan in November 1999. He made an unbeaten 149 and led his team to victory. He recorded his best-ever Test match score against South Africa, where he played an unbeaten innings of 204 runs in 212 balls and broke the record for the fastest double century in Tests at that time.

The Ashes

Gilchrist made his Ashes debut in the 2001 Ashes series which Australia won 4–1. He scored 340 runs at a batting average of 68.00 and 26 dismissals in the five-match series.

International Debut

International Records

ICC World Cup & Champions Trophy

Gilchrist was part of the Australian team that won the World Cup three times in a row, 1999 (England), 2003 (South Africa), and 2007 (West Indies) His best innings came in the final of the 2007 World Cup at Bridgetown, where he scored 149 runs in 104 deliveries and was awarded the Man of the Match.

Gilchrist’s innings in the World Cup Final of 2007

Gilchrist also played in the first T-20 World Cup edition held in South Africa. He scored 169 runs at an average of 33.80 in the tournament. Gilchrist was part of the Australian team that won the Champions Trophy in 2006; he scored 130 runs in the tournament, with the best score of 92 runs against West Indies.

ICC World Cup Stats- One-Day International

International Stats

Retirement

Gilchrist announced his Test retirement on 26 January 2008, during the 4th and final Test of the 2007–08 series against India. He played his last One Day International match at Perth on 15 February 2008 against Sri Lanka in a triangular series with India and Sri Lanka. ^[3]Independent

Indian Premier League 2008-2013

Gilchrist during an IPL match

Gilchrist played in six seasons of the IPL. Initially, he was signed by the Deccan Chargers Hyderabad in 2008 (now dissolved) for US$700,000. He played for 3 seasons with them and won the title in 2009 as a captain. In 2011, he was signed by Kings XI Punjab for US$900,000 and was appointed as the captain. He stayed there for 3 seasons and took retirement in May 2013.

County Cricket 2009-10

Gilchrist signed for Middlesex County Cricket Club in November 2009 to play T20 cricket. He was appointed as the interim captain and led the team in seven matches during the 2010 Twenty20 Cup. He scored 212 runs at an average of 30.28, including a century against Kent County Cricket Club.

Controversies

A Squash Ball

Gilchrist’s mesmerizing innings in the World Cup final in 2007 against Sri Lanka won Australia the final, and he was named the man of the match. Later, he got into a controversy when he was questioned about the use of a squash ball inside his batting glove during the innings. The MCC later clarified that he had not breached any game rules. ^[4]News.com

Gilchrist squash ball controversy in the 2007 World Cup final

Autobiography

Gilchrist’s autobiography True Colours, published in 2008, made headlines when it brought the “Monkeygate” dispute again into the limelight. He accused Sachin Tendulkar of not showing transparency in the investigation done by the ICC. He also questioned Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling action and blamed ICC for allowing him to bowl in International Cricket.

An autobiography ‘True Colours, My Life’ by Adam Gilchrist

Awards and Achievements

• Gilchrist was one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2002.

• Australia’s One-day International Player of the Year award in 2003 and 2004

• Gilchrist won the Allan Border Medal in 2003.

• Gilchrist was the only active Australian player at the time to be named in “Richie Benaud’s Greatest XI” in 2004.

• Gilchrist was selected in the ICC World XI to play against the ACC Asian XI for a charity series, in 2004–05.

• He was voted as the world’s scariest batsman in a poll of international bowlers conducted by the Wisden Cricketer magazine.

• Gilchrist was voted as the ninth greatest all-rounder of the last one hundred years by ESPNcricinfo in 2007, the poll was conducted among 10,000 people.

• Gilchrist was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to cricket and the community, in 2010.

• Gilchrist was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2012.

• Gilchrist was inducted into the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame on 9 December 2013.

• Gilchrist was named ‘Australia Post Legend of Cricket’ in 2021.

Car Collection

Adam Gilchrist has a collection of exotic cars which includes a Porsche Cayenne, a Mercedes-Benz, and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

Favourites

• Cuisine: Chinese

• Holiday Destination: The beachside town of Noosa in Australia

• Idol: Pele

Facts/Trivia

• Gilchrist was the chairman of the National Australia Day Council from 2008 to 2014.

• Each of Gilchrist’s 16 ODI hundreds resulted in victory, eight came while chasing, and the remaining eight while batting first.

• Gilchrist was appointed as the Global Ambassador in 2010 by Perth-based sandalwood supplier TFS Corporation. ^[5]The Sydney Morning Herald

• Gilchrist has endorsed various brands including Nestle, Travelex, Fox Sports, Puma, and Castrol.

• He often indulges in various charity works organised by different associations like Amway Australia and World Vision.

• Gilchrist is often called ‘Gilly’ and ‘Churchy’ by his teammates and colleagues.

• A US-based Baseball club, ‘Boston Red Sox,’ offered Gilchrist the chance to play for them after he retired from cricket.

• Throughout his career, Gilchrist was known for his fair play stints, and he would often walk away from the crease without waiting for the umpire’s decision. One such incident happened in the 2003 World Cup Semifinal between Australia and Sri Lanka when Gilchrist walked out from the crease even after the field umpire declared him not out, though the third umpire later declared him out.

• Gilchrist was the first international cricketer to accommodate the commercial sponsorship on his bat ‘Travelex sticker’ in 2002.

• Gilchrist has appeared in the Australian comedy series “How to Stay Married.”

Hardik

Harshal Patel is an Indian cricketer who has played for India in Twenty20 internationals (T20I). He is a right-arm medium-pace bowler and right-handed batsman.

Wiki/Biography

Harshal Vikram Patel was born on Friday, 23 November 1990 (age 33 years; as of 2023) in Sanand, Gujarat, India. His Zodiac sign is Sagittarius. In childhood, Patel would play street cricket with local boys; however, his mother didn’t like him playing with local boys, so she enrolled him in a cricket academy, where he sharpened his cricketing skills under coach Tarak Trivedi.

Harshal Patel’s childhood photo

In 2008, when Patel was 17 years old, his parents moved to New Jersey in the United States; however, Patel stayed in Ahmedabad, his hometown, for his cricket career. ^[1]RCB Podcast Patel holds a commerce degree from H. A. College of Commerce, Ahmedabad. ^[2]Hindustan Times

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 9″

Weight (approx.): 65 Kg

Eye Colour: Black

Hair Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 38″, Waist: 32″, Biceps: 12″

Family & Caste

Harshal Patel belongs to a Patidar family in Ahmedabad.

Parents & Siblings

Harshal Patel’s father, Vikram Patel, works at Prime Flight Aviation in New Jersey, United States.

Harshal Patel with his father

His mother, Darshna Patel works at Dunkin Donuts in New Jersey, United States.

Harshal Patel with his mother

His brother Tapan Patel resides in the United States. His sister Archita Patel died on 9 April 2022 due to severe health complications.

Harshal Patel shared an emotional note on social media after her sister’s demise

Wife & Children

Harshal Patel is married is married to Devarshi Joshi, a fashion designer, who lives in the United States. The couple has a son.

Harshal Patel with his wife

Relationships/Affairs

Harshal Patel and Devarshi Joshi are childhood friends, and before getting married, they dated each other for a long time.

Career

Junior Cricket

Harshal Patel has an impressive record in junior cricket, and during the 2008-09 under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, he took 23 wickets at an average of 11. In 2008, he played for the Aggressive Cricket Club and participated in the New Jersey Cricket League (CLNJ).

A photo of Harshal Patel with Rahul Dravid from Harshal’s junior cricket days in 2004

Domestic Cricket

Harshal Patel made his Ranji debut in the 2011-12 season of the tournament in which, while playing for Haryana, Patel took an 8-wicket haul in the quarter-finals; he again took an 8-wicket haul in the semi-finals.

Harhsal Patel in a Ranji match, playing for Haryana

In February 2009, he was included in Gujarat’s one-day squad and made his List A debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against ‘Maharashtra’ at Rajkot, Gujarat.

Under-19

Harshal Patel was included in the Indian squad for the 2010 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand. After being picked for the U-19 World Cup, Harshal Patel said,

I always wanted to make a career in cricket. My coach Tarak Trivedi convinced my parents to let me pursue my dream here and I am happy that I have made everyone proud by making it to the World Cup squad.”

Harshal Patel’s Instagram post about his selection for India U19 team in 2009

T20I

On 19 November 2021, Harshal Patel made his T20I debut against New Zealand at JSCA International Stadium Complex. He was named as the player of the match in his debut match after picking two wickets. He again had a two-wicket haul in his second T20I match. In June 2022, Patel was included in India’s squad for their T20I series against Ireland.

Harshal Patel won Man of the Match award in his debut T20I

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In the 2010 season of the IPL, Mumbai Indians bought Harshal Patel for Rs. 8 lakh; however, he was not included in the playing eleven. He made his IPL debut in 2012 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). In the 2018 IPL auction, the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) included him in their squad. In January 2021, the Delhi Capitals traded him to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. In the 2024 IPL auction, Harshal Patel was bought by the Punjab Kings.

IPL Stats (Bowling)

Salary

In the 2024 IPL auction, Harshal Patel was bought by the Punjab Kings for Rs. 11.75 crore.

The Punjab Kings have a valuable buy in the form of Harshal Patel for a whopping price of INR 11.75 Crore ????????#IPLAuction | #IPL pic.twitter.com/YNyDPOzaQk

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) December 19, 2023

Favourites

• Batter: Sachin Tendulkar

• Bowler: Zaheer Khan

• Food: Bread and Chocolate

Facts/Trivia

• When his parents decided to move to the United States in 2008, it was Harshal Patel’s coach Tarak Trivedi who convinced his parents to let him stay back in India to pursue his cricket career. ^[3]Hindustan Times His brother Tapan Patel also supported him in following his dream.

• According to Harshal Patel, he decided to become a pace bowler after watching Zaheer Khan’s knuckle balls and the potent slower ones during the 2011 World Cup.

• Harshal Patel made his first-class debut for Haryana after he was ignored by the Gujarat selectors.

• Harshal Patel is considered among the best bowlers to deliver slower balls perfectly; he mostly delivers offcutters. ^[4]The Cricket Monthly

• Harshal Patel got his first call to play in the IPL from the RCB after his impressive performance in the 2011-12 season of Ranji Trophy.

• In 2021, while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians in an IPL match in Dubai, Patel grabbed a hat-trick. It was his first hat-trick in any format of the game in his career. In the post-match ceremony, an elated Patel said,
  

  This is the first-time I’ve taken a hat-trick in my life. I have not done this even in a school game. I have been on hat-tricks six times in the IPL, but this is the first time I’ve gotten one.” ^[5]The Times of India

  

  Harshal Patel after claiming his first IPL hat trick against Mumbai Indians

• On 9 April 2021, Harshal Patel took 5 wicket-haul (5-27) against the Mumbai Indians, becoming the first bowler to claim a 5-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in the IPL. ^[6]Hindustan Times

• On 25 April 2021, while paying for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Harshal Patel became the most expensive bowler in the history of IPL when he gave 37 runs in the 20th over while bowling to Ravindra Jadeja (6, 6, N6, 6, 2, 6, 4). ^[7]Hindustan Times

• In the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League, Harshal Patel picked 32 wickets, becoming the highest wicket-taker in a single season of the tournament; he equalled Dwayne Bravo’s all-time record of 32 wickets in an IPL season. ^[8]Sportstar

• On 13 October 2021, Harshal Patel was selected as a net bowler for India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

• He plays with the Jersey number 36 for India’s T20I team and 9 for the IPL.

• Harshal Patel is a music lover and trained guitarist.
  

  Harshal Patel playing the guitar at a concert

• In March 2023, during an RCB podcast, he shared his experience of coping with his sister’s passing in April 2022 and the arrival of his son a week later. He said,
  

  When my sister passed away, I was in grief for a week. She passed away on April 9 (2022). I was in quarantine. I was talking to my niece and nephew and everyone back home. I wanted to go, hug them and cry with them. But we were doing it on the phone, because that was the only option available. Then seven days later, my son was born. So, I kind of went numb for a week, 10 days. I did not really know what I was feeling — whether I should be happy, whether I should be sad. It would all come in waves.” ^[9]The Indian Express

Shukla Sundeep