Zaheer Abbas

Zaheer Abbas
Born	Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani (1947-07-24) July 24, 1947 Sialkot, Pakistan
Occupation(s)	Cricketer, ICC president
Years active	1969–1985 (cricket career)
Known for	Former Pakistani cricketer, ICC president, first batsman to score three successive ODI centuries, inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani PP, (Punjabi and Urdu: سید ظہیر عباس کرمانی; born 24 July 1947), commonly referred to as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer who also served as ICC president. Distinguished as one of the rare professional players who wore spectacles during matches, he made history in the 1982/83 season by becoming the first batsman to achieve three successive centuries in ODI cricket. Often dubbed the 'Asian Bradman', Zaheer Abbas is celebrated among the greatest batsmen in cricket history. In August 2020, he was honored with induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Cricket career

Abbas debuted in Test cricket in 1969; during only his second Test appearance, he compiled 274 runs against England, marking the sixth-highest individual score by a Pakistani batsman. This innings was the initial one among his four Test double-centuries, a feat surpassed only by Younis Khan and Javed Miandad. His final double-century came in 1983 against India, scoring 215 runs as part of three consecutive Test hundreds and simultaneously achieving his hundredth first-class century. Notably, both Abbas and Geoffrey Boycott stand as the only batsmen to have reached their hundredth first-class century during a Test match.

Excelling in first-class cricket, Abbas remains the sole Asian batsman to have amassed one hundred first-class centuries. Between 1972 and 1985, he represented Gloucestershire, consistently surpassing a thousand runs in most seasons and exceeding two thousand runs twice (in 1976 and 1981). Across 206 first-class appearances for Gloucestershire, he accumulated over 16,000 runs at an average of 49.79, including 49 centuries and 76 half-centuries. Uniquely, Abbas achieved the rare feat of scoring both a century and a double-century within the same first-class match on four occasions, remaining unbeaten across all eight innings.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar recalled that Indian players jokingly urged Abbas to "stop it now" due to his prolific run-scoring.

Zaheer Abbas captained Pakistan on two occasions (1981 and 1984), retired from international play in 1985, and subsequently took roles as a match referee and national team manager. Known by the moniker "Asian Bradman," he was awarded Pakistan's Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2018. In 2015, Abbas became the ICC president, joining Colin Cowdrey and Clyde Walcott as the third former cricketer to assume this position.

He once held the record for most runs (346) scored in a four-match bilateral ODI series from 1982 until it was surpassed by Hashim Amla in 2015.

Playing style and legacy

In 2001, Agha Akbar characterized Zaheer Abbas as a fluent stroke-player whose game was defined by accuracy and timing, featuring an elegant backlift combined with strong wrists that facilitated smooth footwork and frequent boundaries. His innings of 274 at Edgbaston during only his second Test dispelled skepticism about his ability to handle seam-friendly pitches, demonstrating sustained concentration and control over nearly nine hours at the crease.

In a tribute written in 2010, Alastair Hignell described Abbas as an upright, classically elegant batsman with sharp reflexes and late wristy strokes that made scoring appear effortless. Referred to as the "Asian Bradman," Abbas compiled four double centuries among twelve Test hundreds, including notable scores of 274 at Edgbaston (1971) and 240 at The Oval (1974). While representing Gloucestershire, he uniquely recorded both a double-century and a century within the same match on four occasions, remaining unbeaten in all eight innings—a remarkable accomplishment considering three-day county matches and first-innings over restrictions.

A study from 2013 by S Rajesh highlights that among players batting at No. 3 in ODIs, only Zaheer Abbas matches Virat Kohli's exceptional rate of centuries per innings below eight. Abbas scored six centuries in 47 innings at No. 3 (averaging one every 7.83 innings), maintaining an average of 45.65 with a strike rate of 85.74 there (his overall ODI career average stood at 47.62 with an 84.80 strike rate).

In 2015, Kamran Abbasi lauded Abbas’s comprehensive classical elegance, especially praising his cover drive executed with tall reach, poised stillness, and late wristy shots that pierced off-side gaps while flicking straighter deliveries to leg side. Despite being renowned for his refined technique in longer formats, Abbas adapted well to one-day cricket tempo, excelling against spin bowling but showing some susceptibility to short-pitched fast bowling during the pre-helmet era.

Osman Samiuddin included Zaheer Abbas in a Pakistan all-time World Cup XI at No. 3 in 2019, emphasizing his modern scoring pace: between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s, his strike rate hovered near 85 among players with over 1000 ODI runs—second only to Kapil Dev and Viv Richards.

In a 2020 assessment of Pakistan’s five most stylish batsmen, Shamya Dasgupta portrayed Zaheer Abbas as nearly an ideal right-handed batter—classical yet fluent and dependable—with elegance matched by productivity. He averaged 44.79 overall in Tests, improving to 56.06 in England (and maintaining 40.62 in Australia), renowned for boundary-laden innings that dismantled bowling attacks "like a knife through butter." Positioned as stylistic counterpoint to Viv Richards, Abbas captivated audiences with impeccable timing, precise placement, and effortless stroke execution.

Personal life

In 1988, Zaheer Abbas wed Rita Luthra, who was originally from India and is now known as Samina Abbas. His initial marriage with Najma Bokhari resulted in three daughters named Rudabah, Roshana, and Hiba.

Autobiography

Zaheer Abbas collaborated with British cricket writer David Foot to publish his autobiography titled Zed in 1983.

Awards and recognition

• Received the Pride of Performance Award in 1971 from the Government of Pakistan
• Became a member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2020
• Honored with induction into the PCB Hall of Fame in 2021