Mushtaq Ahmed’s Top 3 Performances in Test Cricket

Mushtaq Ahmed was considered one of the finest wrist spinners in his prime. The Pakistani spinner’s career was prolonged for 13 years and he picked 185 wickets in Test cricket and 161 in ODIs. But the majority of his success came from playing County Cricket. He was the County Championship’s leading wicket-taker for five consecutive seasons and helped his side Sussex win the championship in 2003, 2006, and 2007.

Despite being alleged in match-fixing scandals he was the joint most successful bowler alongside Wasim Akram as they both picked 16 wickets in the 1992 World Cup for the Men in Green and helped them win their first major World Cup. He played 62 first-class matches for the county, taking 289 wickets at an average of 26.32. In 1997, he was selected one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year. 

Having struggled in his early days in the side, he has been one of the finest bowlers in the longest format of the game. In the article, we will be looking at some of the top performances of the wrist spinner in red ball cricket.  

Here are the top 3 performances of Mushtaq Ahmed in Test Cricket

3. 6/78 vs South Africa, 1998

After being invited to bat first by the Proteas, the Men in Green posted a decent total in Durban of 259 runs in the first innings. In reply the home side could only score 231 runs with Shoaib Akhtar picking up 5 wickets. In the second innings with the courtesy of a century by Saeed Anwar, they could score only 226 runs and gave a target of 254 runs. In the second innings, South Africa was bowled out for 225 as Mushtaq picked 6 wickets in the one innings giving out just 78 runs and helping Pakistan to win the game by 29 runs. 

2. 6/78 vs England, 1996 

England batting first posted a total of 326 runs in the first innings. In reply, the Men in Green scored a massive 521/8 with Saeed Anwar and Saleem Malik scoring centuries respectively. In reply to that the Three Lions could only get 242 runs with yet again the wrist spinner doing his trick picking up 6 wickets in the second innings. The courtesy of his brilliant bowling helped Pakistan win the match by 9 wickets. 

1. 7/56 vs New Zealand, 1995

Pakistan was invited to bat first at Christchurch, and they were bundled out for just the score of 208, in reply the Kiwis also struggled against the pace attack with Wasim Akram picking 5 wickets and bundling them in the score of 286 runs. In the second innings, Ijaz Ahmed played a massive role and scored a hundred with Inzamam-ul-Haq scoring 82 runs and posting 434 runs and the Black Caps were bowled out for just 195 with the leggie picking up 7 for 56 and demolishing the batting of New Zealand.