Pakistan cricket history is littered with legends who have left an indelible mark on the game. When reflecting on the greatest players to have represented Pakistan, a few names stand out, and now Basit Ali has unveiled his all-time best starting XI.
Majid Khan topped Ali’s list as the best Test batsman he has seen from Pakistan. Known for his exceptional skill, “Majestic Khan” has a rare feat to his credit – scoring a century before lunch. He also recalled “Great Khan’s” memorable partnership with Zaheer Abbas, dubbed the “Asian Bradman”, during a World Cup semi-final that Pakistan narrowly lost.
Basit Ali’s Pakistan XI includes legends like Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram
Next on the list was another great Saeed Anwar, whose elegance and top-class performances made him an iconic player of his time. Anwar’s name was synonymous with elegance and style, and his style was a mix of grace and power. Basit said on his YouTube channel: “Number two, my friend, who helped me change my life, Saeed Anwar. A top-class player. A classy player. What a player. Today, I don’t know; no one has seen him play. What a player.”
Ali picked Zaheer Abbas at number three and compared him to India’s Virat Kohli for his role at this position. He mentioned that Abbas had many memorable performances for Pakistan, including two double centuries in England.
He said Abbas’ influence extended beyond the field, offering guidance to players like India’s Mohammad Azharuddin and proving his legacy. The former coach noted: “He gave a lot of advice to Azhar Bhai. People used to say that Azhar Bhai plays like the Asian Bradman. A very risk-taking player. I saw him in the final. I saw him in the 80s in the India-Pakistan series. When he took the hanky panky and scored 200, he was a first-class player.”
Ali assigned the number four spot to Javed Miandad, recalling his iconic last-wicket six in Sharjah and his crucial contribution to Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup victory. Younis Khan, who holds the record for amassing more than 10,000 Test runs, earned the number five spot in Basit’s all-time best playing XI.
Praising Younis’ tireless dedication and exceptional run-scoring ability, the former Pakistan selector hailed the ex-captain as the ultimate beast, who scored “a lot of runs with his hard work” and said there was “no comparison and no one scored 10,000 runs” in Tests in Pakistan.
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Inzamam-ul-Haq, known for his devastating batting, was one of the most dangerous batsmen of his era, and Ali picked the former chief selector at number six, praising his unmatched ability to handle fast bowlers. He also mentioned Mohammad Yousuf as another standout batsman, but preferred Inzamam due to his personal experiences batting with him.
Basit picked legendary all-rounder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan as his number seven, highlighting his role as captain of the 1992 World Cup-winning side. The former batsman further noted, “My number eight is Wasim Akram, who is the Sachin Tendulkar of Pakistan. There is no other bowler like him, and there will be no other. The current left-handed bowlers are all kids.”
On the other hand, Ali picked Sarfaraz Ahmed for the wicketkeeper’s post but mentioned Kamran Akmal as an option as well. He said that Rashid Latif is Pakistan’s best wicketkeeper-batsman but Sarfaraz’s brilliance in batting earned him the wicketkeeper’s spot at number nine in his all-time best playing XI.
Basit’s bowling department also featured the leg-spin magic of Abdul Qadir at number ten. Basit Ali was mistaken for the 11th player in his team, so he named Mohammad Asif and Waqar Younis as the second. Ali completed his list with Saqlain Mushtaq, whom he labelled as Pakistan’s best off-spin bowler, as the 12th man.
Here is Pakistan’s all-time best XI according to Basit Ali:
Majid Khan, Saeed Anwar, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Mohammad Asif/Waqar Younis. 12th player: Saqlain Mushtaq
