Former Pakistan captain and cricket administrator Ramiz Raja has named his top 5 Pakistan cricketers of all time. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Ramiz selected a star-studded group of legends who played major roles in Pakistan’s cricket history, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.
The former Pakistan skipper shared his picks during a discussion with former England captains Michael Vaughan and Sir Alastair Cook, along with Phil Tufnell and David Lloyd. They also discussed various topics, including England's off-field problems, Pakistan cricket, and the 2027 Ashes series.
Ramiz Raja Names His Top 5 Pakistan Cricketers
During the Stick to Cricket podcast, Ramiz Raja named Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Saeed Anwar as his top 5 Pakistan cricketers. He also mentioned Inzamam-ul-Haq as an honorable mention.
“I would say Imran, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Saeed Anwar. I like Inzamam-ul-Haq definitely as well. Inzi, because he was remarkable. Saeed Anwar was remarkable as well, in all formats. He averaged in the 40s, scored big hundreds against India, including 194.”
Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Pakistan’s Bowling Greats
Imran Khan remains one of Pakistan’s most influential cricketers. He played 88 Tests and 175 ODIs, scoring 7,516 and 3,709 runs, respectively. He also claimed 362 Test wickets and 182 ODI wickets. His biggest achievement came in 1992 when he led Pakistan to their first and only ODI World Cup title.
Javed Miandad was one of Pakistan’s most reliable batters for more than 2 decades. He scored 8,832 runs in 124 Tests at an average of 52.57, including 23 centuries and 43 fifties. Miandad also scored 7,381 runs in 233 ODIs. He smashed a famous last-ball six against India in Sharjah in 1986.
Wasim Akram took 414 wickets in 104 Tests and 502 wickets in 356 ODIs for Pakistan. Akram remains Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in both Tests and ODIs. He also became the first bowler to take 500 ODI wickets.
Waqar Younis bagged 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 wickets in 262 ODIs, finishing with 789 international wickets across the 2 formats. His strike rate of 43.4 in Tests is also among the best for bowlers with more than 2,000 deliveries.
Saeed Anwar scored 4,052 runs in 55 Tests at an average of 45.52 and 8,824 runs in 247 ODIs at an average of 39.21. Anwar hit 20 ODI centuries for Pakistan, the most by a Pakistani batter at the time. His 194 against India in Chennai in 1997 remained the highest individual ODI score for several years.
Ramiz Raja’s Playing Career, Commentary and PCB Role
Ramiz Raja represented Pakistan from 1984 to 1997, playing 57 Tests and 198 ODIs. He scored 2,833 Test runs and 5,841 ODI runs, with 2 Test centuries and 9 ODI hundreds. He also captained Pakistan in 5 Tests and 22 ODIs.
Raja was part of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning squad under Imran Khan. The batter scored 2 centuries during the tournament, including 119 against New Zealand in the league stage. He also took the final catch off Wasim Akram’s bowling to complete Pakistan’s famous victory over England.
After retiring, Ramiz Raja built a successful career as a cricket commentator and analyst. He became a familiar voice on international broadcasts and later joined the MCC World Cricket Committee.
Raja also moved into cricket administration and served as the PCB’s Chief Executive from 2003 to 2004. In September 2021, he became the PCB’s 36th chairman after being elected unopposed. He remained in the role until December 2022.
Also read: Rajat Patidar leaves Rohit Sharma out of all-time IPL XI, picks MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli
