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LONDON: Wisden, the independent voice of cricket, has unveiled the Under-23 all-time Test XI, all of whom made waves and shattered records in their early twenties.
According to Wisden’s report, it’s a side that has been picked based on players’ performances before they had turned 23.
Pakistan has three representations in the XI led by South Africa’s Graeme Smith. Former captain Javed Miandad, legendary pacer Waqar Younis, and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq are Wisden’s three inclusions.
Javed Miandad
30 Tests, 2,433 runs @ 62.38, 7 100s, HS: 206
‘Street-fighter’ Miandad was altogether a different package for world cricket as he quickly established himself as the mainstay of Pakistan batting since the start of his career. He began his career with a brilliant 163 against New Zealand on debut in 1976. Just after three games, he scored a double-centurion, becoming the youngest to have achieved the feat.
Waqar Younis
33 Tests, 190 wickets @ 19.15, 19 five-fors, BBI: 7-76
Debuting in the same match as Tendulkar, Waqar was venomous from the get-go, bowling full, fast and flat. He tore open visiting New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka sides at home in 1990 and 1991, and excelled abroad too to finish with close to 200 Test scalps before his 23rd birthday.
Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq, the inventor of Doosra, started his career at the age of 18. He starred with five-fors against visiting South Africa and West Indies before bagging 10-wicket match hauls in consecutive Tests at Chennai and Delhi in 1999. Viewing his rise, it is hard to believe that Saqlain played his last Test at the age of 27.
24 Tests, 107 wickets @ 29.14, 9 five-fors, BBI: 6-46
Wisden’s under-23 all-time Test XI: Graeme Smith (c), Alastair Cook, Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Javed Miandad, Garry Sobers, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ian Botham, Waqar Younis, Kagiso Rabada, Saqlain Mushtaq