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Full name Mohammad Yousuf
Born August 27, 1974, Lahore, Punjab
Current age 33 years 328 days
Major teams Pakistan,Asia XI,Bahawalpur,Lahore,Lancashire,Pakistan International Airlines,Water and Power Development Authority
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
South Africa v Pakistan at Durban, Feb 26-Mar 2, 1998 scorecard
Last Test
India v Pakistan at Bangalore, Dec 8-12, 2007 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut
Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Mar 28, 1998 scorecard
Last ODI
Pakistan v Bangladesh at Karachi, Jul 4, 2008 scorecard
ODI statistics
Only T20I
England v Pakistan at Bristol, Aug 28, 2006 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut
1996/97
Last First-class
Yorkshire v Lancashire at Leeds, May 30-Jun 2, 2008 scorecard
List A debut
1996/97
Last List A
Pakistan v Bangladesh at Karachi, Jul 4, 2008 scorecard
Twenty20 debut
Karachi Dolphins v Lahore Lions at Lahore, Apr 25, 2005 scorecard
Last Twenty20
Lahore Lions v Sialkot Stallions at Karachi, Dec 25, 2006 scorecard
Profile
Until his conversion to Islam in 2005, Mohammad Yousuf (formely known as Yousuf Youhana) was one of a handful of Christians to play for Pakistan. After a difficult debut against South Africa in 1997-98, he quickly established himself as a stylish world-class batsman, and a pillar of Pakistan's middle order, alongside Inzamam-ul-Haq. He is no sluggard, but gathers his runs through orthodox, composed strokeplay, unlike some of his colleagues who seldom hint at permanence. He is particularly strong driving through the covers and flicking wristily off his legs and brings with him as decadent and delicious a backlift as any in the game. A tendency to overbalance when playing across his front leg can get him into trouble. He excels at both versions of the game, and in one-day cricket can score 20 or 30 runs before anyone notices. He is quick between the wickets although not necessarily the best judge of a single. There had been questions about his temperament as batsman when the pressure is on, but between 2004 and 2005, he began to silence critics. First came a spellbindingly languid century against the Australians in Melbourne, as captain to boot, where he ripped into Shane Warne like few Pakistani batsmen have before or since. A century in the cauldron of Kolkatta followed but he ended the year with possibly his most important knock: a double century against England at Lahore so easy on the eye, you almost didn't notice it. Yousuf displaying an unusual responsibility, eschewing the waftiness that has previously blighted him. In 2006, Yousuf truly came of age in a record-breaking year. He began by plundering India and continued in England, not just scoring under pressure, but scoring big. A double ton at Lord's was followed by another big hundred at Headingly and the Oval. He rounded off a fantastic year with four hundreds in three Tests against the West Indies, a feat that took him past Viv Richards's long-standing record of most Test runs in a calendar year and also saw him establish the record for most Test hundreds (9) in a year. A poor World Cup - and he certainly wasn't alone - didn't deter from the impression that Yousuf, with Inzamam-ul-Haq gone, had taken over as Pakistan's premier batsman, until his surprise exclusion from the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Championship that many thought was the reason he signed up for the Indian Cricket League (ICL). However, PCB persuaded him to cancel the ICL contract and sign a national contract instead and he was swiftly drafted into the national side for the Test and ODI series against South Africa.
Osman Samiuddin October 2007
Makes his Test debut against South Africa in Durban, scoring 5 and 1 as Pakistan win by 29 runs. He is the fourth Christian to represent Pakistan.
March 28, 1998 One-day debut is better
Makes his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in Harare, scoring an unbeaten 59 to help Pakistan chase 237 with four wickets left.
November 10, 1998 Maiden ton in vain
Hits his maiden ODI hundred, 100 from 111 balls in his 10th ODI, against Australia, but the tourists chase down 316 with six wickets in hand, successfully equaling the then-highest run-chase in one-day international history.
After having scored four half-centuries in his first six Tests, converts the fifth into a maiden hundred against Zimbabwe in Lahore.
June 1999 Sad end to World Cup
Misses the final of the World Cup against Australia at Lord's because of a hamstring injury. Is in good form prior to that, with 161 runs from four games at 53.66.
November 5-9, 1999 Australia thump Pakistan, but love Youhana
Classy twin half-centuries cannot prevent defeat at Brisbane, but he earns rave reviews for his application and strokeplay. Scores 95 in the first innings, adding 151 with Inzamam-ul-Haq in 51 overs, and 75 in the second.
Enhances his reputation as a class act with two hundreds in the West Indies, but Pakistan lose the series.
March 18, 2001 One to open the floodgates
Hits 203, his first double hundred, out of a total of 571 in a high-scoring draw in Christchurch. Adds 248 for the seventh wicket with Saqlain Mushtaq.
August, 2002 So long
Is sent back home from a tri-nations tournament in Kenya on charges of insubordination. Is accused of not following captain Waqar Younis's instructions to appear at the nets.
Hits a 27-ball fifty, the second fastest in Test history, in a losing cause against South Africa in Cape Town. Hits Nicky Boje for four fours, a two and a six off the first over he receives from the spinner. The first ball of the next over also goes six, perhaps the shots of a man resigned to defeat.
October 2003 In the dock
Is fined 50% of his match fee for an incident involving Graeme Smith and Andrew Hall during the second one-day international in Lahore. Is found guilty of a Level 1 offence while Smith and Hall are banned for one ODI.
December 26, 2004 Boxing Day punches
Scores a century in Melbourne on Boxing Day when standing in as captain - an attacking 111 from 134 balls on the first day.
Returns home ahead of the first Test in Barbados after his father is diagnosed with a kidney ailment, and despite the team-management's requesting that he return for the second Test, he tells the board that he is in no state of mind to make the journey. Later that week, announces he will undergo surgery on a chronic shoulder problem that has troubled him for a couple of years.
September, 2005 What's in a name?
Converts to Islam, and changes his name to Mohammad Yousuf. Reveals he has taken the step after attending preaching sessions from a leading religious group. Rumours swirl that he had been pressurised into the change by a team with increasingly devout Islamic beliefs.
December 2, 2005 Dealing in doubles
His third double-hundred sets up a series-deciding victory over England at Lahore. Pakistan are in trouble at 68 for 3, but he forges partnerships and when he departs at 516 for 6, he has 223 runs to his name.
Announces he will not play for Derbyshire, as earlier stated, due to a registration problem. Is originally selected as a temporary replacement for Jacques Rudolph, but cannot fulfill the ECB stipulation that counties may only use temporary substitutes for players who are away on international duty, not those who are injured.
July-September, 2006 Enchanting England
Is the leading run-getter by a long way in the Pakistan-England series, scoring 631 runs at an average of 90.31. It includes three centuries, one of them a double at Lord's, and one a score of 192 at Headingley. England still win the series 3-0.
November, 2006 Outdoing Sir Viv
Scores 192 in Lahore, 191 in Multan, and 102 and 124 in Karachi to break Sir Viv Richards's 30-year-old record for most Test runs in a calendar year. Scores 1,788 Test runs in 11 Tests and averages, between November 2005 and November 2006, 92.00 in 14 Tests.
January, 2007 Misses the first Test against South Africa at Centurion as his wife is due to give birth.
March 2007 Wisden warm up to Yousuf
Yousuf is named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year for 2006, his year. Is later named the Test player of the year by the ICC.
August, 2007 Unwanted in Pakistan
Is omitted from Pakistan's squad for the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. Is soon named on the roster of star signers with the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) in India, prompting plenty of speculation back home.
Is back in the Pakistan fold, and gets a central contract after he cancels his commitment with the ICL.
October, 2007 Truth is stranger
Days after being drafted back into the national side, pulls out of the first Test against South Africa, which Pakistan lose. "I haven't practised for the last two months, and I told the selectors I will not be playing the first Test yesterday. I have no injury, but I felt I was not match fit," says later.
Scores a century in the second ODI to help Pakistan draw level.
West Indies have skittled half the Pakistan side for less than 40 runs, after they chose to bat, but Youhana leads the rescue act with a classy 115 in six hours, with 14 fours. His dismissal shortly before stumps brings the innings to an end and gives the persevering Walsh his 18th five-wicket innings return in Tests. He rates this, his third Test century, as best over his debut hundred and his 95 against Australia in Brisbane.
Pakistan make a flying start, but India hit back to leave them 103 for 4. Youhana leads the recovery with a canny 100, and displays the kind of maturity that would have made Javed Miandad proud. He paces his innings with precision, and never looks ruffled. His first fifty occupies 90 balls, his second just 23, with the last ball of the innings, from T Kumaran, sent over long-on for six. India lose and are eliminated from the Asia Cup.
Pakistan are 273 for 8 in response to England's 480, and are the only team that can lose the match from there. Youhana, though, gets company in Saqlain Mushtaq, and takes complete charge. Youhana resumes the fifth morning on 77 in Pakistan's 333 for 8, and departs after scoring a top-class 124 as the hosts hold on for a draw. Saqlain scores 32 out of a 121-run ninth-wicket stand.
With Pakistan at 33 for 2 in the final, Youhana comes up with a career-best 129 to set up Pakistan's win. Twenty thousand hollering fans witness him and Younis Khan silence Sri Lanka to the death of a thousand cuts with a stand of 155 in as many balls. The shots are almost to perfection, the running between the wickets excellent, and he could just as well rate this innings, in the classical mould that it was, along with the best of his Test hundreds.
In front of a packed house, with a ticket to the next round of the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy at stake, an innings of determination clinches a thriller against archrivals India. Pakistan need 201 and India chip away to leave them 27 for 3, but they have no way to get past Youhana. He adds 75 with Inzamam, and remains composed and canny, hardly putting a foot wrong, to get Pakistan home with four balls to spare.
With Inzamam-ul-Haq out with a back injury, Youhana becomes Pakistan's first Christian captain, and hits 11 fours and four sixes in a brilliant first-day 111 off 134 balls in the Boxing Day Test. He shares a national record fourth-wicket stand against Australia of 192 in 46 overs with Younis Khan. There is nothing weak about the Australian attack - McGrath, Gillespie, Warne, Kasprowiscz, but he bats excellently, hitting Warne for three of his four sixes. His dismissal sparks off a collapse, and Pakistan go on to lose the match.
Pakistan are in a spot of bother at 68 for 3 in response to England's 288, but Yousuf digs in for his third double-hundred that ultimately sets up the series-deciding win. He adds 269 with Kamran Akmal, a Pakistan sixth-wicket record, and bats 10 hours and two minutes, and 373 balls for his 223, which includes 26 fours and two sixes. This double comes just after his conversion to Islam; he becomes the first man to score Test double-centuries under different names.
During the first Test of what becomes an excellent personal summer, he arrives at Lord's - after England make 528 - with Pakistan 28 for 2, then 68 for 4, and parks himself there. He bats seven hours and 48 minutes for an impeccable double-hundred that features 26 fours and a six in 330 balls. In the second innings, he scores 48 from 62 balls as Pakistan secure a draw.
Pakistan are 36 in 2 in reply to England's 515 when Yousuf and Younis put on a record-breaking stand of 363, which forms the centerpiece of Pakistan's 538. The duo eclipse their 319-run stand against India earlier in the year, and indicate that they aren't going to be cowed into a corner. Yousuf's off-side play kisses perfection, and he again shows that he doesn't stop on crossing a hundred, stymieing England's chance of forcing a match-winning position in the first innings. In the second, though, he fails, and a collapse follows; Pakistan lose the match by 167 runs.
Yousuf ends 2006, a year that he owns, by hitting twin hundreds to break Sir Viv Richards's 30-year-old mark of 1,710 runs in a calendar year, with 1,788. His eight and ninth hundreds beat the previous best of seven. Yousuf's 102, his fifth century in as many Tests, holds together the first innings, in which no-one else passes 50. Then his second-innings 124 make Pakistan's position impregnable, as they win by 199 runs to secure the series.
