Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan
Zaheer in 2011
Personal information
Born (1978-10-08) 8 October 1978 (age 45)
Shrirampur, Maharashtra, India
NicknameZak, Zippy, Zakky[1]
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[2]
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLeft-arm fast-medium
RoleBowler
RelationsSagarika Ghatge (wife)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 231)10 November 2000 v Bangladesh
Last Test14 February 2014 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 133)3 October 2000 v Kenya
Last ODI4 August 2012 v Sri Lanka
ODI shirt no.34
T20I debut (cap 5)1 December 2006 v South Africa
Last T20I2 October 2012 v South Africa
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1999–2006Baroda
2004Surrey
2006Worcestershire
2006–2014Mumbai
2008, 2011–2013Royal Challengers Bangalore
2009–2010, 2014Mumbai Indians
2015–2017Delhi Daredevils
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 92 200 169 253
Runs scored 1,231 792 2,489 1047
Batting average 11.94 12.00 13.60 12.17
100s/50s 0/3 0/0 0/5 0/0
Top score 75 34* 75 43
Balls bowled 18,785 10,097 34,279 12,745
Wickets 311 282 672 357
Bowling average 32.95 29.44 27.97 29.07
5 wickets in innings 11 1 35 1
10 wickets in match 1 0 8 0
Best bowling 7/87 5/42 9/138 5/42
Catches/stumpings 19/– 43/– 46/– 57/–
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  India
ICC Cricket World Cup
Winner 2011 India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka
Runner-up 2003 South Africa-Zimbabwe-Kenya
ICC Champions Trophy
Winner 2002 Sri Lanka
Runner-up 2000 Kenya
ACC Asia Cup
Winner 2010 Sri Lanka
Runner-up 2004 Sri Lanka
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 25 December 2016

Zaheer Khan (born 8 October 1978) is an Indian former professional cricketer who played all formats of the game for the Indian national team from 2000 till 2014. A left-arm fast-medium bowler known for his ability to "move the ball both ways off the wicket and swing the old ball at some pace",[3] he excelled in reverse swing with the old ball.[4][5] He was the second-most successful Indian pace bowler in Test cricket, behind Kapil Dev.

He also has the distinct record of dismissing Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya and Matthew Hayden – some of the game's most feared left-handed batsmen – over 10 times each in international cricket, and also holds the record for dismissing the third-most number of left-handed batsmen (237), after Muttiah Muralitharan (325), and Shaun Pollock (252).

Khan started his domestic career by playing for Baroda. In Tests, he was averaged around 36 at home and 31 away from home. With India, he was a member of the team that was one of the joint-winners of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, and one of the key members of the 2011 World Cup winning team, leading the pace attack with 21 wickets in just 9 games. In 2011 he was conferred with the Arjuna Award, India's second highest sporting honour, by the President of India.

During the course of his career, Khan sustained recurring injuries, which often interrupted his progress at the international level, and this was the reason he set up ProSport Fitness & Services, a special rehabilitation & training center in association with Adrian Le Roux and Andrew Leipus.

Khan was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the year 2008. He announced his retirement from international cricket in October 2015.[6] He played for Worcestershire in County Cricket and played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. In 2020, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri. He is presently the mentor of the IPL team Lucknow Super Giants.

  1. ^ "Zak plays patience". ESPNcricinfo Magazine. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Zaheer Khan Profile". Sportskeeda.
  3. ^ Premachandran, Dileep. "Zaheer Khan". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  4. ^ "clean bowled by reverse swing by zaheer khan". Archived from the original on 30 June 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014 – via YouTube (Australia tour of India 2010/11, 13 Oct).
  5. ^ "2nd Test India v Australia at Bangalore, Oct 9–13, 2010 Cricket Scorecard". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  6. ^ "Zaheer Khan". ESPNcricinfo. 9 April 2008.