Pakistani Squad

Shoaib Malik

Born: 1 February 1982, Sialkot, Punjab

Major Teams: Gujranwala Cricket Association; Gujranwala, Pakistan Reserves, Pakistan International Airlines, Sialkot Cricket Association, Pakistan, Gloucestershire.
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Test Debut: Pakistan v Bangladesh at Multan, Asia-Test, 2001/02
Latest Test: Pakistan v South Africa at Faisalabad, 2nd Test, 2003/04
ODI Debut: Pakistan v West Indies at Sharjah, Champions Trophy, 1999/00
Latest ODI: Pakistan v Australia at Lord's, NatWest International, 2004

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Profile:

A tall offspinner in the modern mould, Shoaib Malik doesn't look much like Saqlain Mushtaq, but everything else about his bowling, from short-stepping run-up to the doosra or wrong'un, are carbon copies of his senior colleague. Shoaib’s abilities in the field and with the bat – he has notched up a couple of hundreds in one-day internationals – have made him a regular member of Pakistan’s ODI line-up, but a Test berth has proved harder: he played two matches in the 2001-02 season, and then came back to play three matches against Bangladesh and South Africa in 2003-04. However, with Danish Kaneria proving to be a more incisive spinner in Tests, it seems unlikely that Malik will earn a regular Test spot.