Historic Day for English cricket: Three Muslim players in team for first time

BIRMINGHAM: Sunday was a historic day for world cricket for many different reasons. In Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s teen age pace bowling sensation Naseem Shah became the youngest ever to take a hat-trick in any international game let alone a Test match, against Bangladesh in the third day of the match. Naseem is the fourth Pakistani to achieve this feat in a test match. Great left arm pacer Wasim Akram has done twice while others are Abdul Razzaq and Mohammed Sami.

While Bangladesh looks in all sorts of troubles in Rawalpindi, Pakistan but in Potchefstroom, South Africa they created history in the U19 World Cup. Bangladesh beat defending champion India under D/L method in the final to lift the trophy by for the first time.

But another history was made in Johannesburg, Southall Africa where England was playing host South Africa in the final ODI of the three match series. For the first time ever in the history of English Cricket, three Muslim were part of the playing eleven. As Lancashire’s pacer Saqib Mahmood made his ODI debut for England and with Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid both being part of the playing eleven too it was the first occasion that three crickets of Muslim faith were part of any English international cricket team.

Interestingly all three are also of Pakistani-Kashmiri origin. Moeen Ali is from Birmingham, Adil Rashid from Bradford and Saqib Mahmood Born in Birmingham but raised in Rochdale, Lancashire are sons of immigrants from Pakistan.

England won the match by 2 wickets to level the series 1-1 and the trio played a part in the victory. Batting first the Proteas scored 256/7 in the 50 overs. Pacer Saqib Mahmood opened the bowling for England and picked up a wicket conceding 17 runs in 5 overs. South Africa’s Reeza Handricks was Saqib’s first scalp in ODIs.

On the other hand England’s spin bowling duo Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, playing together for the first time since World Cup last year, bowled their quota of 10 overs each. Moeen got 1 wicket for 42 and Adil Rashid picked up 3 wickets for 51 runs. With Quinton de Cock and David Miller scoring 69runs a piece South Africa managed to score 256 for 7.

England achieved the winning target of 257 for the loss of 8 wickets in 44th over. Johnny Bairstow scored a quick fired 43, while Joe Root and Joe Denly scored 49 and 66 respectively. Towards the end England lost 4 quick wickets for 20 runs but Moeen Ali steered the ship home with a cool 17 runs knock.

By England winning the game the three match series ended in a draw at 1-1. Adil Rashid was declared man of the match for his figures of 3/51 in 10 overs. England will also play a 3 match T20I series against South Africa starting from Wednesday, Moeen, Adil and Saqib are also in England’s T20I squad. Earlier England beat the Proteas in the Test series by 3-1.