Younis Played 'sweep Shot' Best In World: Saqlain Mushtaq

Former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq believes the way Pakistani batting legend Younis Khan played the sweep shot, was the best in the world, saying he hasn't seen any player play that shot better than the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, winning captain

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jul, 2020 ) :Former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq believes the way Pakistani batting legend Younis Khan played the sweep shot, was the best in the world, saying he hasn't seen any player play that shot better than the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, winning captain.

"Younis played a lot of shots but his sweep was very good. Whether, if it was Australia's Shane Warne or Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, Younis played them very well. He knew how to play from high to low and vice versa," he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

He said he hasn't seen Younis getting out or not being successful in hitting the sweep shot, when he attempted for it. "Might be it may have happened but it hasn't gone through my eyes. Younis sweep shot was the best in the world. Many players do hit it but it doesn't have the same class as of Younis," he said.

Younis led Pakistan to their first title in the 2009 ICC World T20. He also became the first Pakistani and 13th ever batsmen to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket in April 2017.

Saqlain said nobody hits cover drive better than Pakistan's limited-overs skipper Babar Azam. "Nobody hits the cover drive with perfection, technique, timing, beauty, simplicity, class and elegance better then Babar. There are many players who hit the cover drive but Babar comes at No 1," he said.

Babar who leads Pakistan in T20 and ODIs has scored 1,850 runs in 26 Tests while 3,359 and 1,471 in 74 ODIs and 38 T20s, respectively.

Saqlain said former Pakistani skipper Ramiz Raja played the pull shot very good. "I was in the under19 when I used to see Ramiz bhai's pull shots in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. The way he played those shots were beautiful. I have heard that the pull shots were also Ramiz's favorite," he said.

"If he was given the ball on that height he never stopped in hitting the pull shot. Former Pakistani Great Imran Khan included Ramiz in his team because he was brave and could play the shot in any kind of situation or condition," he said.

Ramiz represented Pakistan (sometimes as captain) during the 1980s and the 1990s and scored 2,833 and 5,841 runs in 57 Tests and 198 ODIs, respectively.

Saqlain said former skipper Aamir Sohail was the best at playing the back drive. "Aamir's body language, timing, elbow position and aggression were perfect. Aamir started as a left-arm spinner and went on to become the opener. Pakistan's best opening pair was Aamir and Saeed Anwar," he said.

Sohail captained Pakistan in six Tests in 1998, becoming the first Pakistani captain to defeat South Africa in a Test Match. He led Pakistan through 22 ODIs from 1996 to 1998, winning nine and averaging 41.5 with the bat.