Pakistan has lost the series against Bangladesh which is perhaps the biggest achivement of ODI that team Bangladesh could ever dream about. However, in the first ODI something interesting happened the wicketkeeper batsman and debutant Mohammad Rizwan became the 9th Pakistani batsman to score fifty plus runs on his ODI debut. So Rizwan is 9th but who was the first one? Lets find out:
No.9 – Mohammad Rizwan – 67 vs Bangladesh at Dhaka, Apr 17, 2015
Bangladesh scored a tough to chase total of 329 against Pakistan. Despite having a decent start Pakistan could not picked up the momentum and lost the match with 79 runs as a result of classic Pakistani batting collapse. While things were looking ‘we can still make it’ Muhammad Rizwan was on the crease playing his first ODI and he scored a hope giving 67 runs. Rizwan became the 9th Pakistani batsman to score more than half ton on an ODI debut and on the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on debut Rizwan stands at number 3.
No.8 – Sharjeel Khan – 61 vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah, Dec 18, 2013
Pakistan dominated the game at the first ODI of the series against Sri Lanka at Pakistan’s home away home – UAE. Match will be remembered for Hafeez scoring a century and Sohaib Maqsood scoring 73 to help Pakistan put target of 323 for Sri Lanka. However it was Sharjeel Khan the debutant who set the ball rolling with his 61 runs as opening batsman. Sharjeel became the 8th Pakistani batsman to surpass 50 runs on ODI debut and on the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on debut Sharjeel is at number 5.
No.7 – Sohaib Maqsood – 56 vs South Africa at Abu Dhabi, Nov 8, 2013
This can simply be translated as perhaps the best ODI debut by a Pakistani batsman. Sohaib Became the 7th Pakistani to score a fifty on his debut and he did that against the best bowling attack of that time. Pakistan lost that match tough, again because of a domino like batting collapse. However, Sohaib lived up to the hype created around him before his international debut. On the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on debut Sohaib is at number 8.
No.6 – Khurram Manzoor – 50 vs Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura, Feb 2, 2008
Good old days when international cricket used to take place in Pakistan. Zimbabwe tour of Pakistan was the last international cricket tour that was completed its whole schedule. It was 5th match of the series and opener Khurram Manzoor stood with eventual man of the match Younis Khan to help Pakistan chase down an easy target of 181. This debutant from Karachi scored 50 runs to become 6th Pakistani to do so, on the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on debut Khurram Manzoor is at number 9.
No.5 – Nasir Jamshed – 61 vs Zimbabwe at Karachi, Jan 21, 2008
Same series in which lated Khuram Manzoor recorded his name in Pakistani record book, Nasir Jamshed also collected his share at Karachi during the ODI series opener. Pakistan won the match by 104 runs Nasir Jamshed scoring a quick 61 marked the coming of an aggressive opening left hand batsman which Pakistan was missing for past five years. Tough later every coach and captain had their share in working on the “Technique” of Nasir hence Nasir lost his touch. Nasir Jamshed was the 5th batsman to score 50 plus runs on ODI debut and his innings stands at number 4 on the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on debut
No.4 – Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammad Yousuf) – 59 vs Zimbabwe at Harare, Mar 28, 1998
This was the ODI debut of two future greats of Pakistan cricket Yousuf Youhana (Now Mohammad Yousuf) and the fastest bowler ever ODI cricket Shoaib Akhtar. Pakistan toured Zimbabwe during the time when Pakistan was one of the most feared team in the cricket world. Pakistan won this series opener by 4 wickets with the help of Aamer Sohail playing a captain’s knock of 77 runs and later Yousuf did his cameo of 59 runs to become 4th Pakistani to be half centurion on ODI debut. His 59 runs innings is the 6th highest ODI debut runs by a Pakistani batsman.
No.3 – Saleem Elahi – 102 vs Sri Lanka at Gujranwala, Sep 29, 1995
Cricket team of Sri Lanka was on a real rise perhaps that was the first time Pakistan lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka and that too at home. The same team Pakistan did fairly well in the Cricket World Cup 1996 under the captaincy of Wasim Akram but against Sri Lanka team Pakistan and newly appointed Ramiz Raja looked helpless in last two ODIs and Sri Lanka snatched the series by 2-1. However, this particular ODI was a high time of Pakistan – Pakistan won the match by 9 wickets. The Sahiwal boy from the Elahi brothers league came as opener with Aamer Sohail and the pair gave 156 runs solid opening stand. Saleem Elahi became the first Pakistani ever to score a hundred on ODI debut and his national record stands still today. His 102 not out is on the top of the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman.
No.2 – Younis Ahmed – 58 vs India at Kolkata, Feb 18, 1987
There is a thing about history that it only keeps eventual winners alive, mostly those who were part of winning the goals remain unsung or they disappear in the dust of past. Something similar happened to this very performance, this i think can be called as dream debut too playing in India on the top of it making debut in the historic Eden Garden Kolkata and scoring half century as opener to give a good start to team Pakistan for a chase of a decent total of late 1980s. The Jalandhar born Punjabi boy of Pakistan was the opener of that historic match he became the second Pakistani batsman ever to score a half century in his debut ODI. But here comes the irony of history that very Kolkata match is and will always e remembered as the day when Salim Malik literally OWNED Eden Garden. Salim Malik played that historic knock of 78 runs on 36 balls with 11 fours and 1 six, an innings which can match the T20 style batting of today’s time. Anyway Younis with his 58 stands on number 7 on the list of highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on his ODI debut.
No.1 – Ramiz Raja – 75 vs New Zealand at Christchurch, Feb 6, 1985
264 is still a hard to chase target for Pakistan and back in 1980s anything above 250 was what 400 is in this day and age. Pakistan started innings poorly while chasing 264 runs, Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad tried to stabilize the innings when the partnership ended the debutant and the second half of Raja Brothers came to bat. our very own Rambo scored 75 runs and became first Pakistani to score fifty plus runs on ODI debut. His innings is also the second highest runs scored by a Pakistani batsman on the ODI debut. And by the way Pakistan lost that match by 13 runs, poor little Rambo he was unlucky for Pakistan team even in the 1980s :P.
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