Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country with over 70% of its population practicing this branch of Islam.
About 15 to 20% of the Pakistani population are Muslims, making it the country’s second-largest branch of Islam. Shia Muslims believe Ali Ibn Abi Talib should be Muhammad’s successor, contrary to the beliefs of other Islam branches.
Many of Pakistan’s popular personalities are Sunnis, but the country also has some well-known celebrities that practice Shia Islam. No popular event endears Pakistanis more than cricket, and there are few Shia cricketers to have succeeded in the national team.
Check out some popular Pakistani Shia star players to have ever graced the beautiful game of cricket.
Top Pakistani Shia Cricketers
1. Azhar Ali
Azhar Ali is a Pakistan senior cricket international and one of the most experienced players ever to bat for his country. The professional batter has an exquisite skillset with enough tricks to wear out top-class bowlers across formats. He is also one of the very few players to ever feature for Pakistan in a Test match before a One-Day International.
His debut came in July 2010 against Australia, and he’s become one of Pakistan’s most important players ever since. He’ll go on to perform better in his second game, helping Pakistan to reach their 180 target with three in-hand wickets.
2. Mohsin Hassan Khan
Mohsin Hassan Khan is retired but it will almost feel illegal to omit his name from this list. The experienced batsman was a household name in Pakistan during his playing days in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He took part in 75 One-Day Internationals and over 45 Test matches.
Mohsin recorded Pakistan’s first-ever double-hundred from a single player, endearing himself to cricket fans at home and elsewhere. He was the starting batsman during his playing days and excelled so well in that area. Mohsin will go on to become one of Pakistan’s best-ever starting batsmen.
His cricket career didn’t have the longevity we’ve come to expect from cricket internationals. He got married to an Indian celebrity, moved to Mumbai, and retired from international cricket across formats to become an actor.
3. Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan is a young cricket and one of Pakistan’s hottest prospects. He is also one of Pakistan’s recent additions to their senior cricket squad after featuring in teenage formats for years.
Shadab’s exceptional ball-spinning skills make him a handful for batters across formats, and he’s an asset to his country. He featured in Pakistan’s under-19 World Cup squad, catching the eye of local and international commentators. Shadab will go on to bag eleven (11) wickets in just six (6) games.
4. Hassan Ali
Hassan Ali is one of Pakistan’s most-respected cricketers with impeccable field skills. He was born in Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan. Ali has become a major contemporary fast-bowling expert from his region. He is very popular among cricket fans, as he possesses bowling skills unseen from many bowlers over the years.
One of Ali’s strongest plays is his ability to deliver balls at a variety of speeds and curves instead of full-on pace. He made his first-class cricket appearance against Lahore Ravi in 2013 and is currently on the books of Sialkot. Hassan went firing out the blocks after his senior debut with over a dozen wickets in less than eight games.
He is a member of Pakistan’s international team and is a premium first-rate bowler in today’s cricket.
5. Zulqarnain Haider
Zulqarnain Haider is an ex-cricketer for Pakistan and one of the country’s most popular players in history. Haider was called up to replace Kamran Akmal in a wicketkeeper’s role at the England tour of 2010. His first entrance into Test cricket will not go as planned as Haider will suffer a finger injury during proceedings.
He will later make an ODI debut against South Africa and have an instant impression as a top-level cricketer. Haider’s controversial stint in the Pakistan national team will reach fever-pitch levels when he suddenly retired.
Haider will go on to claim he received death threats from people who asked him to fail a Test game. He left for the UK in 2010 and returned in 2011, but wouldn’t make any further impact in Pakistani cricket.
Final Word
Pakistan does not have many Shia cricketers in senior international cricket. However, some of the best stars in Pakistani cricket happen to be Shia Muslims. These stars have made their name with diverse leadership skills and on-the-pitch performances. The infective nature of these Shia cricketers’ above-par performances will encourage more minority Muslims to become professional players
