Azhar Mehmood

International career

Azhar Mahmood, born on 28 February 1975 in Sargodha, Pakistan, is a former cricketer and a coach. He has played for Pakistan and several county teams in England. Mahmood also worked as the bowling coach for Pakistan’s national team. He was part of the squad that finished as runners-up in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

Azhar Mahmood played as an allrounder. He made his Test debut in 1996 and soon became known for his ability to bat and bowl. He scored three centuries against South Africa in Test matches. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he played as a lower-middle-order batsman, adding runs in tough situations. Mahmood was good with the ball, especially in conditions that helped reverse swing.

He also played in England for Surrey and Kent. In 2002, he took 8 wickets for 61 runs against Lancashire. Despite some ups and downs with the Pakistan team, Mahmood kept playing at a high level in domestic cricket.

After retiring from playing, Mahmood turned to coaching. In 2016, he became the bowling coach of Pakistan’s national team. He worked with Pakistan's bowlers for a few years until 2019. Mahmood also coached PSL teams like Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans.

In 2021, Mahmood became the head coach of Islamabad United for the 7th season of the PSL. In 2024, he switched to the role of bowling coach for the team. Later, in April 2024, he was appointed the head coach for Pakistan’s series against New Zealand.

In December 2024, the PCB appointed him as the head coach for a 5-match T20 series against New Zealand, marking another important role in his coaching career.

1996

• ODI Debut: Azhar Mahmood played his first One-Day International for Pakistan against India at Toronto on September 16, 1996.

1997

• Test Debut: Mahmood made his Test debut against South Africa at Rawalpindi from October 6 to 10, 1997. He scored a century and a half-century in his first Test match without getting out.
• First Test Century: He scored his first Test century against South Africa in 1997-98.

1998

• Second Test Century: Mahmood scored his second century in Test cricket against South Africa.

2000

• Talk of Captaincy: PCB Chairman Lt-General Tauqir Zia mentioned Mahmood as a potential future captain, though this never happened.

2001

• Last Test Match: Mahmood played his final Test match against England at Manchester from May 31 to June 4, 2001.

2002

• County Cricket: Mahmood played for Surrey in England. He took 8 wickets for 61 runs against Lancashire in one match. He stayed with Surrey for two seasons.

2003-2006

• Mahmood continued his career in England, playing county cricket. He struggled to maintain a place in Pakistan's national team during these years.

2007

• ODI Recall: Mahmood was called back to the Pakistan ODI team for a series against South Africa in early 2007. However, he was dropped from the World Cup squad.
• World Cup: Mahmood joined the Pakistan team in the West Indies for the 2007 Cricket World Cup after Abdul Razzaq got injured. However, he only played in a practice match. Pakistan's early exit from the World Cup led to Mahmood being dropped again.

2008-2011

• County Cricket & ICL: Mahmood returned to county cricket and also joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL). He was later released from his central contract by the PCB.

2016

• Coaching Role: In November 2016, Mahmood became the bowling coach for Pakistan's national cricket team. He had briefly served in this role earlier in the year.

2017-2019

• Bowling Coach: Mahmood stayed as the bowling coach for the Pakistan national team, helping improve their bowling unit.

2021

• PSL Head Coach: In December 2021, Mahmood became the head coach of Islamabad United for the 7th season of the Pakistan Super League.

2024

• Bowling Coach of Islamabad United: Before the 2024 season, Mahmood left his role as head coach of Islamabad United and took up the role of bowling coach.
• Pakistan Head Coach: On April 9, 2024, Mahmood became Pakistan’s head coach for the series against New Zealand.

2024 (December)

• PCB Appointment: In December 2024, Azhar Mahmood was named head coach for Pakistan’s men’s team for a 5-match T20 series against New Zealand.

Career Stats

• 164 International Matches
• 162 Wickets
• 2,421 Runs

Leagues Participation

Azhar Mahmood played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kings XI Punjab in 2012 and 2013. In 2015, he also played for Kolkata Knight Riders. In the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he was part of Dhaka Gladiators in 2012 and Barisal Burners in 2013. These stints helped him maintain his presence in T20 cricket after his international career.

Indian Premier League

Azhar Mahmood played for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he helped the team win one of their biggest matches against Mumbai Indians. He scored 80 runs off 44 balls and took 2 wickets for 24 runs, winning the man of the match award. In 2015, Mahmood joined Kolkata Knight Riders, replacing James Nisham. He played several matches but was dropped the following year.

Year	Team	Notes
2012–2013	Kings XI Punjab	Played a key role in a big win against Mumbai Indians in 2013.
2015	Kolkata Knight Riders	Replaced James Nisham, played several matches but was dropped later.

Bangladesh Premier League

Azhar Mahmood played for Dhaka Gladiators in the 2012 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and for Barisal Burners in 2013. In the final match of 2012, Dhaka Gladiators won against Barisal Burners, but Mahmood did not score. In 2013, Mahmood’s strong performance helped Barisal Burners win against Khulna Royal Bengals at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Year	Team	Notes
2012	Dhaka Gladiators	Played in the final but did not score.
2013	Barisal Burners	Played a key role in the win against Khulna Royal Bengals.

Domestic career

Azhar Mahmood had a long and varied domestic career, playing for many teams over the years. He started with Islamabad in 1993/94, then played for United Bank Limited, Rawalpindi, and PIA in the late '90s and early 2000s. Azhar also played for Surrey between 2002 and 2016, taking 230 wickets and scoring 5009 runs. From 2006 to 2011, he represented Habib Bank Limited and Islamabad Leopards.

Azhar's cricket journey began in his teenage years. Despite initial opposition from his father, he continued pursuing cricket, with guidance from Irfan Bhatti. Azhar played tape ball cricket in his free time, which helped him improve his skills. In 2011, he became a British citizen, which allowed him to play for Kent as an English-qualified player.

Later, Azhar played for Auckland Aces in New Zealand. In 2012, he joined the IPL, playing for Kings XI Punjab and, later, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2015.

Other Leagues

Azhar Mahmood participated in the Champions League Twenty20 2012/13 with the Auckland Aces. On October 10, 2012, during the qualifying pool match against Hampshire, Mahmood played a key role in helping Auckland qualify for the main stage of the tournament. Auckland won the match by 123/2, with Mahmood scoring 55 and also taking 5 wickets for 24 runs. However, he was fined $1,000 for violating the tournament's code of conduct after the match.

In the 2012/13 Big Bash League, Mahmood played for the Sydney Thunder.

He also joined the Barbados Royals in the 2013 Caribbean Premier League. On August 23, 2013, in the second semi-final of the tournament, Mahmood's team faced the Jamaica Tallawahs. Unfortunately, Barbados Royals lost the match by 7 wickets.

Records and achievements

Azhar Mahmood achieved several key milestones during his cricket career. His performances in major tournaments and record-breaking moments reflect his skills and impact on the game.

• 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup:
  • Was part of the Pakistan team that finished as runners-up.
  • Scored 280 runs, the highest total by any player in that World Cup.
  • Hit 11 sixes, the most in the tournament.
  • Best bowling performance: 5/35 against South Africa.
  • Took 12 wickets, the most by any player in the 1999 World Cup.
• Test Cricket:
  • Scored 128 on the opening day of a Test match.
  • Achieved two unbroken 10-run partnerships in Test matches.
  • Set the record for the highest 10th-wicket partnership of 151 runs.

Personal life

Azhar Mahmood has had a full life both on and off the field. He now lives in England with his family after a long cricket career.

Family

Azhar Mahmood married in 2003, and he has three children. One of his daughters, Inaya, plays cricket for Surrey Women's Club in England. The family resides in England as of 2024.

Finance

Details about Azhar’s wealth are not widely shared, but reports suggest his net worth is between $1 million and $5 million due to his cricket career and later work.

House

Azhar Mahmood became a British citizen in 2011. By 2020, he was living in England, where he owns property.

Scandals

In 2000, Azhar faced accusations related to a match-fixing scandal. He was banned, but the Andhra Pradesh Supreme Court lifted the ban in 2012.

Fans

In 2024, Azhar became the assistant coach of the Pakistan national team. After the team's losses in the T20 World Cup, he commented on the poor morale, which upset many fans. His remarks caused some disappointment among supporters.