| Leg-spin in cricket is a difficult art to master. For this | | | | hauls. Ahmed outwitted batsman on several |
| reason, there were very few world-class exponents | | | | occasions in taking 185 Test wickets. His best bowling |
| of leg-break/ googly bowling in cricket since the | | | | analysis in an innings was seven wickets for 56 runs |
| inception of the international game in the 19th | | | | against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1995. |
| century. Pakistan's Mushtaq 'Mushie' Ahmed was one | | | | In ODIs, Ahmed helped to dispel the myth that |
| such leg-spinner. With an energetic action reminiscent | | | | leg-spinners were too unreliable for the shorter form |
| of his mentor, Abdul Qadir, Ahmed mesmerised | | | | of the game. He reaped 161 wickets from only 144 |
| batsmen at the highest level with his clever deception | | | | ODIs. More importantly, his ODI economy rate was |
| and variety of deliveries. | | | | an impressive 4.26 runs per over- belying the |
| Born in Punjab, Pakistan on June 28th, 1970, Ahmed | | | | argument that leg-spin bowling was inherently |
| developed into a quality right-arm leg break/ googly | | | | inaccurate. |
| bowler and the heir apparent to Abdul Qadir. The | | | | Ahmed certainly knew which end of the bat to hold |
| diminutive spin wizard made his First class debut while | | | | in all forms of the game. He scored two |
| still a teenager- in the 1986/1987 First class season. | | | | half-centuries in Tests and stayed at the crease for |
| Ahmed's Test debut came against Australia at | | | | roughly 30 balls per innings. Ahmed also managed 20 |
| Adelaide in 1990 at the tender age of 19- a rare feat | | | | half-centuries at First class level with a top score of |
| for spin bowlers who tend to perfect their art later | | | | 90 not out. During his First class career, Ahmed's |
| than other bowlers do. | | | | obvious talent earned him stints with English county |
| Mushtaq Ahmed's bowling was lively and enthusiastic, | | | | sides Sussex, Somerset and Surrey. |
| particularly when appealing for the dismissal of a | | | | Ahmed's international career ended in 2003- at the |
| batsman who did not read his well-disguised deliveries. | | | | age of 33. That he survived for so long in a |
| He was as portly physically as he was wily mentally. | | | | youth-oriented Pakistan team was a testament to his |
| Ahmed had the distinction of being rated as better | | | | quality. Toward the end of his career, Ahmed was a |
| than Australian leg-spin legend, Shane Warne, by | | | | fixture on the English County scene. At the end of |
| none other than double world-record holder and | | | | his First class career in 2008, he was hired by England |
| master batsman Brian Lara. | | | | as a spin-bowling coach. Indeed, it is natural that a |
| Mushtaq Ahmed was a genuine match winner for | | | | spin wizard and match winner as Mushtaq Ahmed |
| Pakistan. He took three ten-wicket hauls in a match, | | | | was would know a thing or two about spin-bowling |
| out of 52 Test matches and 10 five-wicket innings | | | | at the highest level. |