Test Match Special - TMS Top 10: Pakistan players

Episode Date: September 7, 2026

Isa Guha is joined by former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, TMS broadcaster Aatif Nawaz, and ex-England spinner Vic Marks to select a top 10 of the greatest Pakistan men’s players. TMS stats guru Andy Zaltzman provides the numbers. Among the names discussed are the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Babar Azam. But who makes the final list?

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with a subscription to BBC Podcasts Premium on Apple Podcasts. You can also enjoy a range of our podcasts ad-free with an Amazon music subscription. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. What we're going to do here is that we're going to identify the top 10 players that have played for the Pakistan men's team. We're going to have some considerable debate and joining myself and Rami Zeraja former Pakistan captain chairman, broadcaster, Ativ Nawaz and Vic Marks as well.

We're going to think about test and one day records, performances at their peak, longevity, influences on Pakistan cricket, and how much opponents feared them. And that's going to all form part of the debate. Pakistan, of course, has produced some extraordinary players, elegant batsmen, devastating bowlers, mysterious spinners, and one of the most. influential all round as the game has ever seen. So Rames, I'm going to come to you, first of all. Who would be your first name on that list? It's obvious. The great Imran Khan.

The fact is, so I was fortunate enough to play under him for about good eight years. Got to know the man from cricket point of view and from personal point of view. And a complete fighter, hardworking, extremely hardworking, didn't have loads of talent actually people feel that you know he became an all-rounder because he's talented no he wasn't talented it's just sheer hard work and he was ahead of his time because he's

physically fit he would eat certain things 48 hours before the game and it was just fitness on the job for us also plus his leadership qualities he led from the front the major thing

that he did during the 92 World Cup was that he was struggling with this bowling, his shoulder had gone. He was what, 41 or 42 then, and then suddenly decided that since Salim Malik was struggling at number three, he said, I'm going to bat at number three. And his highest score at that time in that 92 World Cup campaign was like 15 or 20. And so we objected to it. It was very rare that we reacted to whatever he wanted to do in that dugout, but we said that you don't have the form. He says, but I have the experience. And then he proved us wrong because he got runs in the semifinal, got runs in the final.

But what a smashing individual, great leader. You know, he would, he had the eye for talent and then he backed that talent to the hilt. It wasn't a one-off seasonal player for him. So if he figured out that Basim was the match winner for him, then Vasim would have to follow a certain routine throughout the tour, right? What to eat, what not to eat, how much to train, how much to train, how much to not to train. And the fact remains, and Vaz will tell you about this also, that he was struggling with the no balls during the 92 World Cup. He had bowled something like 25, 30 no balls. And so Imran suggested that do not, do not try to bowl slow to adjust to the no ball problem. Just

go flat out and you'll get it right. Little things like that, you know, and what kind of field to set. I mean, we were the only team that would have three slips in a gully in a one day game against Australia so and he said he put it in our in our mind either we're going to win or we're going to lose so he took away the draw mentality from us which was kind of a go-to-guide for most Pakistani cricketers in those conditions you know we'd be quite happy drawing a series against england for example or Australia but under him it was full guns blazing you know we're going to win and then he rightly said you know you pick a different team when you want to win you pick a different team when you want to draw a series. So he wasn't defensive at all, whether it be test cricket or

one day cricket and what a player. Yeah, a complete change of mentality that he brought to Pakistan cricket. Of course, we're talking about Imran Khan, the player and the captain, but we must acknowledge the current situation. And while we cannot comment on the politics on a purely human level, we hope he's okay. Wazi Makram speaking to him over the years has always spoken about Imran Khan fondly and just how he helped with his development as a player. But Vic, you want to say something? Would he be the first person on that top 10? Oh, yeah.

I don't argue with that. I mean, I played with him around Oxford, actually, when he was still, he wasn't quite so quick then. He was bowling his big in-duckers. And then by the end of his time at university, he was to, hang on a minute. He can buy quite quickly as well. But I'm pretty sure about Ramies will tell me that when he made captain,

one of the first things he did, which would have taken some doing, was to omit Marjid Khan, his cousin, and one of the great legends also. And he sort of dropped him, if only to prove that I'm not going to be in any way parochial and sticking with the old guy, my family and all that stuff. So it's quite a state, it must have been quite a statement to drop Marjit Khan. It's a fantastic way.

And people say that they're not on speaking terms. Even now. Really? So, yeah, I mean, Marjit took it to heart. Absolutely. Absolutely. The other great thing about Imran was the neutral umpires. Yeah. Because he introduced the concept of neutral umpires.

And this was in Sri Lanka and I think it was 85, 86 tour and was sitting in the lounge hotel lobby. And he said, you know, no other sport would have the local umpires umpiring a local game. So it has to be. And we were always looked down upon upon. Whenever we won a series back home in Pakistan, people would say we cheated. And that didn't sit well with Imran. at all he said look yeah this has to be worked at and so we then introduced the he was way ahead of the game on that yeah 100% I think it's quite telling as

well actually that you know he last played more than 30 years ago but if you ask a 30 year old Pakistan cricket fan they'd probably tell you as well the first name on their all-time top 10 list is Imran Khan that's the legend of the man it's a bit like people have never seen the godfather but they know it's a great film right it's it that's what Imran Khan is is this sort of legend And you might not even look up YouTube compilations or anything like that. And there's a big trend amongst young cricket bands to look up YouTube compilations. And I know when Sir Ghaffield, Soba's Passway, people were looking up clips and how great was he and things like that.

How great was Brian Lara, so on and so forth. In Pakistan, they tend to look up the fast bowlers like Shoebahtar and Vakar and Uymaqar. But Imran, you might not look, but every single Pakistan cricket fan instinctively knows. If they start a list of great Pakistani cricketers, you have to start with Imran Khan. The iconic image, 1992, World Cup, Crystal Waterford Trophy, everybody knows it. It's like the national anthem. Everybody knows what it is around the world. Anybody with a cursory association with Pakistan knows that if you know nothing of cricket,

the one thing you know is it's that thing that Imran Khan did for Pakistan. So that's the level of the guy and that's why I don't, I think he's the immediate thing. You think of Pakistan cricket in its greatest moment, that's the image that comes into your head. Well, to sort of put him in historical context, not only would he be the first name on the list of Pakistan's great. greatest players, but you could make an argument that he'd be up there in the top five from anywhere, certainly in test cricket. Overall, 88 tests average 37 with the bat with 600s, 362 wickets, average 22.8 with 235ers. But if you look at Imran's peak, he made his debut as a young man.

It took him quite a long time to really establish himself in test cricket. But from the start of the 1980 to 81 international season to the end of the series in the West Indies in 1980s, 1988. 44 tests average over 40 with the bat and 216 wickets average 17.5. One of the greatest sequences, possibly the greatest sequence as an individual player has ever had in Tess Cricket. There's one specific series that showed quite what an extraordinary bowler he was. Pakistan played in during a six test series in 1982-83 season. Imran took 40 wickets at an average of 13.9. The rest of Pakistan's attack took 41 at an average of 48,

and India's bowlers collectively took 49 wickets at 60. In the three matches, Pakistan won. It was a 3-0 series win with three draws and run, took 30 wickets for 339 runs. So not only was he phenomenal over a prolonged period of time, but that specific series, you could make an argument. That's the greatest single series any bowlers had in test history.

There's a not parallel with England had the impact. both in that time. And what Imran's career was the polar opposite in that he started early with modest success and the graph just getting better and better and better. And Ian's career start absolutely staggering and then there was a sort of great, it went down the other way. Yeah, that's right. It was just the fitness also. One incident I remember, we talk about great leadership and a leader has got to be selfless. So Javed was playing a against India, and this was before my time actually, I think a couple of seasons before I actually made my debut. And Imran declared him when he was 280. And so Pakistan fans were up in arms saying,

you know, so near getting to that 365. But Imran mentioned that, you know, winning is more important than individual milestones. So Pakistan won and I think it was against India. He then bats against Sri Lanka and I remember because he's playing that game at Faselabad he's 92 or 94 and he declares the innings just to make a point

that you know individual scores are not relevant in a team sport which was like and we were stunned because he said okay fine we're declaring and he was 94 not out so I mean it's that kind of a character what does that do to the dressing room I mean you were

we were absolutely scared of his personality, number one, because there's a no-nonsense kind of a guy. So, you know, and it was like a 10-year-old talking about the game all the time. So he was restless. He was like, you know, when we were going out to bad as openers, he had already pared it up at number seven. And so we would ask him, you know, what's wrong with you? I mean, either you don't believe in our skills or you are jitry or nervous. He says, no. So what he would do is with tennis ball, he'll start practicing the pull shot.

And he'd be like a kid. And they talk about the game all the time, which was astonishing. And we were being fed with stories and, you know, with technique and how to take on the opposition. I remember once we were playing in New Zealand and it was a three-day game. Richard Hadley was still bowling quite quick. And I opened. And he took me to a side. He says, you know, he doesn't like being hit.

And he doesn't bowl a lot of bouncers. So if he bowls you a bouncer, pull him and not bowl a bouncer again to you. I got a 70-odd. He bowed me one bouncer. I played the pull shot for four, never got another shot pitch delivery from him. So that kind of education and reading the opposition. Yeah, this is fascinating in hearing about Imran Khan, the leader. But Ramez, what about him as a player?

We've just heard the numbers there. And a lot of contributions, both with bat and with ball. But if you can just allude to how influential he was. He was extremely influential. so he'll put himself in a very, very tough situation and then, you know, both with the bat and ball. He wasn't a natural. I mentioned that earlier, you know, he had to work extremely hard to be a good all-round cricketer. Then he became a great all-round cricketer.

But, you know, if he was off cricket for 15 days and when he was having nets after 15 days, it appeared as if he was a number 11 batsman. He would not time anything. He had a very awkward grip, which was, and he had a three-pound, five ounces. It was so heavy. But somehow, you know, whenever there was a situation, he would get in there and get things sorted out, you know. It'll be battered, bruised.

One thing he had mentioned very clearly that he'll only play those players who are brave-hearted, who have got ticker. Fronting up to the task by the tail enders was as important as someone opening the innings because it sent a message to the opposition that, you know, from 1 to 11, we're not scared of you. So little things made us a great team in the end.

And that series against the Westernies in 88, which I believe, and according to a website also, probably the best three test match series ever played. And I say quite frankly, had West Indies not cheated in the last test match, we would have beaten them because it ended up to be a one-one draw game. And in those days, Westonies were like untouchables. I mean, they had Marshall and they had, you know, Ambrose and all those. And you could bowl six bounces in and over during that period. But it was because of him, because he had set such high goals for his side and for himself that he said, look, we want to become the best.

And to become the best, we've got to beat the best team. I mean, it's just a crazy individual that way. Just, I mean, very educated from cricket point of view and generally a great leader. You talked about work ethic there, but I want to hear about him as a bowler because he was the one who really kind of got you all buying into reverse swing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So in those days, I mean, you know, when we came over, we felt that, you know, scratching the ball is a normal thing. Because to survive back home in Pakistan, you had to do it. And when Imran was doing it, we felt it was kosher because there was this leader who was like, I mean, you know, a proper cricketer. And but then, obviously, you know, he mentioned it himself that, you know, it used bottle tops and all that kind of stuff. But he was such an asset when the ball was reversing. It's just unstoppable. Look at his performance in the 87 World Cup in Pakistan. He picked up five wickets every second match. And we had great advantage because, you know, England or Australia would be five down for 230 in the 40th over and bowled out for 250.

Well, Pakistan kept doing that. But am I right in thinking that it was Safras Nawaz. Yeah, he started. He played in England, North Hans. And I think he was the guy who kind of became the – he wasn't that quick. although he liked to think he was very quick but but he was the guy who kind of recognized the potential of this reverse swing and he was the kind of tutor that's right yeah passed it down the line and he plays from Pakistan quite a lot didn't he

and I played against him when we were befuddled he'd be it was more 50 over old you think well we've cracked the new boy and then all of a sudden South Fras would come on this starting back in and what's going I think it big up nine Wiggers against Australian when they just matches. And Imran obviously, LIS learned from that, and then he became a tutor as well. That's right. Yeah, that's true.

Yeah, I mean, just iconic, isn't? I remember as a kid, actually, the first cricket book I was ever gifted was called Imran Hahn's cricket skills. And you kind of get like, you know, you get players who endorse books and things like that, and someone will come to you saying, yeah, don't worry, I'll write this

and just put your name on it, we'll take some photos. But you could tell he'd had a huge part in this, because every single page had a photograph of Imran can posing in the pose that he's doing. So for example, he shows a pull shot and he's in all three positions that he wants to show. Your starting point, your execution point, your follow through. And I remember just studying it closely. Wow, this guy.

And I just, yeah, I mean, you could put a bow on it and just say like the icon, the sort of the style of the man. You know, obviously he was very popular in England as well. And he's gone on to do different things and and become, remain immensely popular. And, you know, just an icon. You mean socially? Socially, obviously, well. Like, just here in England, I mean, it was before my time, really,

but my older siblings describe how intensely popular he was and he was a sex symbol here in England as well. You know, he'd go out to parties, people, the paparazzi following him everywhere he goes. People really, really, really adored him. I mean, he'd never drank, but I think he liked the party, and what the reason he left Worcester

to go to Sussex? Nightcliff. Brighton, a bit near in London as well. I think that was quite an attraction. I remember him. I'm wearing a t-shirt in New Zealand, so this is going way back in 1985. Somebody gave him a t-shirt and obviously he wore it everywhere. Nightlife in New Zealand, it just had a big black round thing on the t-shirt.

Can I ask you, Ramiz, because I heard this right, and you probably know this, because I've heard this, I don't know if this is true. He would go to, there's a nightclub in London called Annabilles, which is very popular. He'd like to go there and his order, the Imran Khan, was a glass of milk. So he turned up every time and he'd ask for an Imran Khan, and it was a glass of milk is this true I'm not sure about Annable but we used to get in Australia for example so you know the Australian dugout would have 15 jars of beer we'll have 15 jars of milk and and so I mean and we were all we were all scared that you know nobody even Javed who even Javid was scared yeah he was

scared actually a player that loves to party that they're making the top ten is that what you're saying he loved a party but he didn't drink he said it's stays in your system so you're not able to perform for the next two days. It was a personality to go with a skill set as well. This is the thing. I mean, there were so many great players and great people who could execute great skills. They had some personality to go with it, a look and everything. It's a whole package with Imran. Yeah. We are going to move on. Who's the second on that list? It's a difficult call actually. Because you see, so I played in an era where everyone was a hero and a classic.

Vasim Vakar, Sayythanwa. Zahir Abbas was before my time. But, you know, so I've got to look at Sayyad Anwar, for example, or Vasim and Vakar. I'd probably put one of them, either Vakar or Vasim at number two. Hanif Mohamed would have to be considered. And then there were all those brothers. I mean, Mushdak, do you know what?

Mushhtak, I think, is responsible for, and spinners all around the world all hate him for it. He was the reverse. He was the first guy back in the 60s, 70s, who started playing that reverse suite, which is tormenting fingers spinners ever since. And Mushtak himself was a lovely wristband. So he played about 16. So he is, it's a long time ago, but Mushtack was a really serious cricket.

It's a good captain as well. Was he, did you play, do you? No, but, but you see, so Pakistan won in Australia when he was the captain, when Imran picked up 10 wickets and that was the beginning of Imran Khan era, actually. So he was then the captain. So, you know, I feel my duty is apparently, because of my, I can. remember these guys. We'll come back to Spin.

Thank you for your contributions there, Vic. I don't think anyone would disagree with the fact that we're now going to talk about Wazim and Waka. Wazim Akram, 104 test matches, 414 test wickets an average of 23. You also picked up three centuries in there as well across a time period of 1985 to 2002. also played over 300 one day internationals, over 500 one day wickets, average of 23 there as well. And it was about Wazim and Waka, together in the early 90s at their peak. 373 wickets for Waka, Unis, 87 test matches, 416 wickets in one day cricket, an average of 23. So, you know, they were phenomenal as a pair, but individually they both make that top 10 list, would you say?

Yes, no doubt about it. I mean, for me, it's easy. Like, Waseemakram, maybe there's a slight, there's a slu, there's a slu, recency bias, I was going to say, it's been 20 years as he played, but as recent as that could be, I think Wacimakram is like, is, you know, I mean, Imran's on a different level, but Vassimakram is also iconic. And again, he's somebody who's so popular with the current generation of Pakistan cricket fans as well, because he did have that incredible skill and incredible personality. I remember watching him during his career, and the thing that people used to say about him is,

this man can take a wicket at will. So he can run in at any given point, decide that this is going to be a wicket ball, and take it. And he knew exactly what his plan was, exactly how to execute it. I mean, in his early days, he had obviously the long run up. But towards the end, my sort of most vivid memories are of 1999, that World Cup that happened here in England, and watching him sort of run in off about 15 paces at max and just make the ball do all sorts of absurd things.

And, yeah, just incredibly talented. Also, one of my favourite test innings I've ever seen was his 253, not out, batting at number nine, which I think is still the highest score by a number nine batter, I think. Yeah, and it's also, it also has the record for the most sixes in a test innings tied with Yashashvite. I could be wrong, I'm sure Andy's also one will point that out for me. But, yeah, he could bat, he could bowl, but he was so iconic, and he had this incredible control over that skill, and also a very underrated captain. I think his captain see people sort of, okay,

he didn't win a World Cup, he got them to the World Cup final in 1999, and he couldn't get over the line in that final. But he was a good captain. He's the kind of captain who had control over his dressing room, and obviously him and Bukar sort of had a back and forth, and we can talk about Wokar and his skill as well. But just in terms of iconic bowlers,

I think you could talk about it, and he's got a pretty strong case with maybe being the greatest left-arm bowler of all time. Yeah, well, he gets in my... list. I mean he was plucked out by him around. He barely played a first-class game. That was sort of something wonderful that Pakistan tended to do sometimes. He just saw him in the nets thought, this man's got a play. Yeah. Chucked into the testing. Sometimes I wish they still did that. I mean, I faced by him when he played for Lancashire and he skipped, he looked

like he was so close when he let it go because he was very light on his feet, a bit like Malcolm Marshall. He's kind of run through the crease. And as a consequence of that, it felt like he was bowling from 18 yards. In the nets he did bowl it. He did bowl him. He did go out of 18 yards. And then appeal. Useless appeals to put us down.

Yeah. So, and the both the seamen were guys. Yeah, yeah. I mean the way he swanked the ball. I mean that 92 World Cup he should manage to show how he could do that with some fantastic deliveries. But a fantastic talent.

How does he rate in terms of bowlers you've ever seen? So my all-time favourite will be Malcolm Marshall. I played with him in the Nets, in domestic cricket as well, but he was a magician. I mean, he could reverse it. He had, you know, strong presence,

and he would, the 92 World Cup, two deliveries make him a legend, as simple as that. But Waka, Eunice, on the other end, was sheer brutal pace. So it just picked up 100 wickets here playing for Surrey, and then we played him in a one-day tournament back home.

And I've never been afraid of getting hit here. because I told him that I was seriously scared that I'll miss the ball because he was lightning fast compared to I mean Akram even though he was pacey in the nets he would appear like a medium pacer compared to Wakar. Vakar was really brutal and quick bit like Jofra Archer you know from nowhere but the oddly enough when I didn't place Waka fortunately and I've got two nails to prove it but actually when Waka was playing for Pakistan contrary to everything that happens now you were probably better off opening the batting than coming in number six. Yeah, 100%. He would try and bow away swingers to the opening bats from because the ball wasn't ready. Away from the toes.

Yeah. And you know, you have more opportunities. It was easier to face WACAR with the new ball than when winning. I mean, there's some amazing scorecards when England played against them, whereas England are sort of 300 for 3 and 342 all left. South Africa, I remember a game we were playing in South Africa. This is 93-94 maybe. 394 maybe, 220 to get, 190 for one and two 15 bowled out.

It's just incredible piece of reverse swing bowling. And here, 92 series, you know, from the top of the run up, he'd say, yorker and bold to the likes of David Gar and E. and both of them. And I was at short leg, I could hear it. I mean, so A, full of himself, B, because he knew that he could pull it off. And he knew they had no answer at 92 miles an hour, that ball reversing and so it was you know tour crushing experience and you know

and we loved it and one of the things that was quite striking about watching him I mean there were many things that were striking about watching him but he had a hole in his shoe which a lot of bowlers do nowadays but at the time was very unusual because those shoes were really expensive you know as a young kid you get your first pair of you have cricket shoes and you're gonna take him to the club and you know I'm sure there were so many parents that was so angry with a guy you know why are you cutting open a hole in your shoe because all these kids kids I just bought them an 80-quit pair of trainers and they're cutting holes in their shoes to look like

what car yeah i think i remember there's one specialist one specialist shoe maker that made a lot of shoes i mean it was leather it's soft i don't know i mean i can't remember the name whiteing yeah good hampton yeah that's right he was a cobbler of creepy it's really good it was yeah it's a career i like that yeah it's really it was really extraordinary what i really enjoyed about Barbar, obviously he had that brutal pace. He was unbelievably quick and, you know, like it was, you know, as, as Ramiza's saying, it felt like he was a lot quicker than Vasim, even though Vasim was bowling quite quickly as well. And then what I really enjoyed about what guy is he had a couple of injuries and setbacks.

He missed that 92 World Cup. So, you know, it must be one of his sort of great regrets. And I know having spoken to him that it is one of his great regrets, that he wasn't part of that team. But over time, he picked up stress fracture after stress fracture and he couldn't bowl as quick anymore. And so he completely reinvented himself and turned into what Wick was saying with a new ball, a way swing bowler. He actually tormented England as captain in the early 2000s as a completely different style of bowler. You have to kind of really respect that ability to reinvent yourself. Yeah, I mean, with Malcolm Marshall, you know, Malcolm Marshall was what about 5'10, 5.10 and a half.

And you didn't expect that ball to bounce from the length from that shot of height. Wakaa Yunis was pretty similar He wasn't very tall And his arm was quite low Yeah low And so his bouncer was lethal Because he would be at you He wasn't wasting

You know tall bowlers Would at times bounce more Which was fine Andy Well just to put a bit more Sort of statistical context On both of those players And I like looking at players

In their absolute peak phases Wachai Yunus Had a fairly quiet start To his test square in just his first 4 or 5 games Then we played New Zealand in October 1919 over his next 26 test.

He took 170 wickets. That's over six and a half a game at an average of 17 with 19, 95 wicket halls in 26, 26 tests. He was one of the great bowling forces in the history of test cricket at that time, remained effective

but not quite at that level after those injuries that Artif mentioned. Wazim Akram, through the 1990s, averaged 21 with the ball in test cricket. and he had a very good record sort of everywhere in the world. He only played two tests in South Africa

and do that much in those games. In every other country he played in, he had a good record, 36 wickets in Australia at 24, for example, which is not always a place that Pakistan has thrived. So, yeah, two of the great bowlers on question. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Growing businesses deal with the same problem,

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Visit Odu.com to book a demo. It's ODb-O.com. Get more with BBC Podcasts, wherever you listen. the first to listen to your favorite shows like evil genius good bad billionaire and you're dead to me with a subscription to bbc podcasts premium on apple podcasts you can also enjoy a range of our podcasts ad-free with an amazon music subscription show back where where does he come in here 46 test match is 178 wickets at 25 is he in the mix i mean yes um because he was very very fast uh unusual bowling action controversial, but you know,

controversy doesn't hurt you a lot. I mean, he had that image and flair and people watched him because fast bowling is about showing presence at the creason. So, I mean, to me still, I think the most wonderful thing is for a batsman getting bowled in that middle stump

going for a toss, somebody running in from 30 yards. But obviously, you know, maybe not in the same category as well. If you're picking a team, he doesn't get in ahead of Imran, Wersigman, and Warkar. Well, I tell you what, he's an X-Factor player, no doubt about it. Like, if I was looking at the current Baghistan test team at 2026, I think more than a Wasedem or Wakar, they need a Shoyabakhra. They need that X-Factor player, that team's fair.

A bowler that can bowl at 100 miles an hour and hurt you and runs in looking like a, like a Bollywood villain with his hair flopping and his facial expressions. and you know like every bad that's ever talked about facing him talks about how unbelievably terrifying that experiences like that's what you want you want a player that sort of inspires fear in the heart of the opposition I don't think there's ever been a cricketer from Pakistan that did that quite like shoyabukhtar and obviously he missed more test matches than he played and you know as always as you'd think about what could have been with show but a bowler like that he's always going to he's always going to have a truncated career

shahabakta 247 wickets in one-day cricket as well average of 24 fastest recorded delivery of all time in 2003. Andy? Well, he had a relatively brief peak, but even so from 2000 to the end of the England series in 2005, he was 127 wickets average 20.5 and 26 tests with 11 fifers, but didn't play that that volume of cricket, but there were moments, there were some incredible moments in his career. When he bowled in in Kolkata in front of 90,000 people bowled out Rahul Dravid and Satchin Tandalka and successive balls, which is One of the great YouTube clips. It was just two completely unplayable balls at insane speed.

He had a spell against Australia in a test that was played in Colombo in October 2002 in the second innings in which he bowled out Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist. Steve War and Shane Warren LBW in the space of 15 balls, five unassisted wickets, four all-time great, great batters plus Shane. who was a decent decent lower order player that's one of the great you have if you have the sort of greatest 15 ball spells in test history that's got that's got to be up there well there's individual balls that he's bold like like his ball to stephen fleming in the 1999 world cup is probably my favorite ball of all time like it was just sheer pace and full and violent intent and you know there's nothing you feel for the back there's absolutely nothing he could have done about that ball I mean I just I love showbook

He felt like box office. That's an important element of this as well. Like these are great players. Being technically gifted is great. Having personality is great. Having great leadership is great. But who do people really want to see? Do they pack the stadiums?

I'm not going to get, go to the concession stand now. Sherb's about to start. Actually, he's got a very long run up. You could probably go grab yourself and food by the time he gets the crease. I think it's a legacy that these guys created. I remember growing up in club cricket and playing boys cricket and I played with a lot of British

Pakistani boys and they all just wanted to be fast bowlers. That was all they wanted to be. It was less about the batting. It was about bowling as fast as they possibly could. Now, we're going to leave Sherbaatar there. He's in around the mix. Wazim and Waka are definitely in that top ten. We're going to come back to you, Vic.

Hanif Mohamed. You mentioned him. We're going to move to the batters now. I mean, I am actually too young to do. I mean, I do remember watching him on the telly as a kid. But, I mean, he was a seminal, you know, 499. in a period where Pakistan worked so strong, it must have felt that he had immense pressure

because he had to get all the runs. And he got stacks of runs, and he had limitless concentration, I think, and could bat for hours and did many, many times. In black and white. It's always difficult to compare across generations. The thing about Honeyfarmer is the headline about him is that he played maybe the greatest test innings

by a Pakistani battle, forever, 337 against the West Indies in 1958. It's one of those innings that like sort of your older relatives tell you about. And then you sort of go back and it's hard to find footage of it to the state. But what you can do is read loads of books that have been written about it. And, you know, I know there's a book by Abdul Hafiz Qadar, who was Pakistan's first ever captain, and which I read and he references that innings extensively. 970 minutes out in the middle.

Six, that's, you know, so 16 hours, 10 minutes, across three days, he's just batting and batting and batting and batting. grinding the opposition into the ground I think when he when he finished at the time that was a second highest individual score ever made in test cricket Len Hutton's 364 was higher and this is before cigar field soba's got to three six five but just in terms of an iconic record obviously is a great batter and you know we know you know you can you hear all the accolades from from people who saw him but to score innings like that I mean you couldn't even imagine it in the modern era a triple hundred in a test match across three days

I don't think that'll ever happen again. Yeah, he averaged just under 44 in his 55 test 12th century. He scored 100 in his only tests in Australia, made a century in England, and that triple century in the West Indies. In every country he played in, he scored at least 100. Of his 1200s, 11 were made in draws and just won in a victory. Didn't have a great record in the game's Pakistan one. I'm allowed to chuck in another name just in terms of influence on the evolution of Pakistan cricket.

And it's another ball. I'm interesting to see what Rameh says about him, Fasal Mahmoud, who played in those early years with Hanif Mohammed for Pakistan. A fantastic bowl, 134 wickets in his test cricket, but his influence on Pakistan's early test cricket is extraordinary. He took 12 wickets in Pakistan's first ever test win. That was against India in their first series, 12 for 94. He came to England in 1954 to 12 for 99 at the Oval, Pakistan's first win against England, and their first win against Australia, the first test those two teams played, he took 13 for 114. And in Pakistan's first three wins against West Indies, he had match holds of 8, 7 and 12.

So in all, he played in seven wins for Pakistan and took 65 wickets average 10. Yeah, he was an icon for sure. Tallish fellow, long fingers, and he would cut the ball. So in those days, I think matting was being used in Pakistan. So it's your typical matting fastball. and not quick, medium pacer, accurate, and he would cut the ball. And obviously, like Hanif Mohammed, one of the icons, you know, who set the stage for us. Again, I'll go back to that book by Abdul Hafiz Qadar.

So Garad was, he played three test matches for India at the time of partition. And then he became the first Pakistan captain. And his sort of first task was accumulating cricketers that he thought would be good for Pakistan. Now, at the time, Fasal Mahmoud and his family, they were unsure of where they were going to end up, whether he wanted to play cricket at all. And Abdul Hafiz Qardaar organized for him to get a job as a policeman in what would then be Pakistan, which was considered a very good job in return for playing cricket for him. So Hafiz Qadar got him to play cricket for Pakistan, helped him get to that point.

And in 1955, Fazil Mahmoud became the first ever Pakistani to be included in Wisden's top five cricketers of the year. So that, I mean, I don't know how highly regarded it is these days, but in those days, that was an unbelievable honor to be one of the top five cricketers of Wisden. and there was always sort of a, in those days, a colonial bias to those lists for a Pakistani to break into it in 195. That's iconic in and of its own. Yeah, and that 1954 oval test in which he bowled Pakistan to victory, he got out Len Hutton, Dennis Compton and Peter May in both innings of the game,

and if we're doing England's top ten, they'd all be in the conversation for that. And I found out a quick info article about Fasel Mahmoud. And he says that over two innings in that game bowling to Len Hutton, Fasal reckoned he'd bowled 27 different types of deliveries. To get Huffin' out twice. The kind of craft he had, he wasn't quick, was it used on medium pacer and a lot of... Accurate, length bowler. And there'd have been a stunning victory.

I mean, out of the... Because England were a very strong side and no one anticipated that coming. Some more names in there. We're moving to the batters and Ramiz the other day you said Saeed Amois. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. What a player. punishing talent, Isha. Brilliant to watch. I opened with him and he was just about 20 yards ahead of where we were when he started to play because he'd be so good against spin. In those days,

you know, openers weren't supposed to be that great against spin, but he was so good and then, you know, some of the innings that he played. I mean, I was the captain when he got his 194 against India which stood as the highest score for a very long time in 15 years. was cricket. 13 years. 13 years. He absolutely massacred all the Indian bowlers.

And then, you know, his 100 against India in Kolkata, I think it was, which turned out to be a match winning in English again. Didn't play the 92 World Cup, but in 99 World Cup,

elsewhere, I think in 2003 World Cup in South Africa. I mean, in Australia, really was a top quality player. He didn't score as many runs as others across his career 13 year career but you're saying that he would be your first person on that list

in terms of batting? Yeah so I mean how do you rate a player it's an interesting question so do you go by the stats or do you go by the respect that he earns in the dugout in the dressing room you know

so some for example I'm talking off the cuff about a keeper batsman that we had Salim Youssef not Salim Youssev would never be recognized as a great wicket-keeper batsman but he had so much of respect in the dressing room because on that 1988 tour against the West Indies he played with a

broken jaw and he was hitting Malcolm Marshall for six years through mid-vicket after they had absolutely taken care of him so he earned a lot of respect and and so I think Sayythanba would be one of them who earned a lot of respect in the dressing room whenever he went out to bat we felt great about this So he's going to be hammering the opposition. They'd be a bit scared of him. And he had this national flair and talent, you know, smooth through the offside. And in those days, you know, he hit sixes when probably Sri Lankans and started it through

Sanajah, Suria and Kalu Witherna. And we had Sayy then. And so he had a massive impact on the game. Yeah, he really was phenomenal. The flare that he batted with and just, you know, it's always considered a great compliment to any left-hander when they say, oh, he looks elegant like a Seid Anwar. A lot of memories of watching him bat alongside Ramees and Amr Sahil.

So they've sort of alternated as his batting partner during different parts of their careers. And, you know, so with Sohill, he was quite volatile and aggressive, whereas Sayth was always very elegant and he was more reliable. And he was still had that sort of flourish to his game that made him quite attractive to watch again at the top of the innings. Yeah, he was undoubtedly a great Pakistani player. Yeah. Average 45 in test cricket, 11 test centuries.

In one day cricket, though, I often look when I'm looking through these periods at strike rate. And most batters are batting at a strike rate of about 70. He was at 80 for his 247 one-day internationals under 5,000 runs. Also, he was, again, thrived in all conditions. He's one of only two Pakistan players to have made centuries in England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. He'd made a pair on his Testabian in 1990. I was playing that game, actually. And didn't play again for three and a half years

and then became one of Pakistan's great players. And also, it's not sort of part of the way you judge players in terms of how great they are, but artistic impression. If we count that, he's got to be right at the top of this. Aesthetically. We see a lot of players hit the ball these days, particularly in short form cricket, as if they hate the concept of spheres and hate leather.

And side-handward just caressed it as if he was, I think the ball would have been pleased to be hit for a four-and-a-half. The ball would enjoy it. So, it's aesthetically pleasing. But the other question in his favour is that he opened the batting in an era where there was some nasty bowlers to have to face opening the batting. Purely because of time, I'm just going to throw in some names here and then I'm going to get you to discuss. Java Miandad, Yunus Khan, Mohammed Yusif, In Zamam al-Hakhuk. That's a great list. Yes, yes, yes and yes.

Well, I mean, Yunus Khan has got one of my favorite records, which is he scored a test century against every country, I think in more countries than anybody else also. You'll be able to check this. Because obviously he played in the UAE as well, so that was during that phase when Pakistan played the year. So he scored test hundreds in every country, including India and the UAE, and Pakistan and England, and Australia.

Australian anywhere that a test match could possibly occur. He has a test 100. And obviously the only Pakistani batter to cross 10,000 runs in test cricket. And obviously, one of only two Pakistani players to win a World Cup as captain. He won that 2009 T20 World Cup. I'm sure you remember that day, well, Aisha. I do. Because I watched two of my favorite players pick up a World Cup that day.

I was 12th that day. You still got to pick up the trophy. You did. I remember. Upper Compton right there watching you guys. I mean, he's, I think, because of his sort of subsequent work as a coach and he's being quite outspoken, and, you know, there was some sort of rivalries and things like that. Maybe he doesn't get the flowers that he deserves, but he's undoubtedly one of Pakistan's best ever battles.

And one of the great characters, Jarvis Miandad. Well, he was, well, Ram, well, no better than I, but he was the ultimate sort of street fighter. Yeah, he was. Cheeky. Yeah, cheeky, but intimidated by no. and I still got in my mind that match in Australia when him and Dennis Lilly fell out and you've got him with his back over and Dennis Lilly is dead.

I mean, they nearly came to physical blows, but he was frightened of no one to take on Dennis Lilly in Australia. You know, only a fool would do that really. But Danny Jarman was right in there. So frankly, Vic, I mean, we've at times felt very embarrassed because cricket was playing in a certain way during that era. And here was Jawa, he was challenging the opposition, teasing them. I remember, I think it was here in 87 or 92, I can't have, 87 in fact, Abdul Qadha was playing

and beefy was struggling to pick him. And so I think it was Imran who said, go to Sili Medov. I was at short leg. And so both of them started to sweep and as you would know, you know, when you're not picking a bowler you start sweeping the ball. So he tried it two times and Javed was, he picked it up and Javed said, the only shot you know is sweep. I saw sweep, sweep, sweep. Every time the ball was in the air, there was this sweep, sweep, sweep, sweep.

In the backdrop and I was, I mean, I was falling apart because, you see, they're so funny and Beefy said, I'm going to hit you with a bat. He says, how can you hit me with a bad? The only shot you know is sweep. Is that kind of an irritating guy actually? But he was good. He was good. He was good.

He had really good. 23 centuries in his test career, 124 tests he played. He was captain at Faisler. when Mike Gatting had this little altercation. And it was a brilliant, you know, from a Javid's point of view, that whole incident was fantastic. Because England were controlling that game. Yes, yes, yeah, winning.

And by one thing, another, the whole day got abandoned and Pakistan ended up drawing the match. And Javid, I'm sure, would have reveled in the fact that, you know, that little altercation at the close of play enabled him to come away with a draw and all was well, and the series would be undergrowing. control. He was felt like a players captain as well.

Can I ask you, Robes, because we watched an incident not too long. Actually last week we were talking about that 92 tour where Devin Malcolm was getting bounced by Akhib Javed and then the umpire calls a noble but he sort of really stood up for his but he walked over and he was like, no, I'm going to take control. Don't you worry, Archib, I got you. So this is Javed Miala. We're playing a 92 game against New Zealand. It's a must win game for us.

Danny Morrison was bowling at around 150. It really was bowling fast and we were two down for 10 when Javid Miao walked in and in those days you couldn't bowl a bouncer in ODI cricket right so it was no balled first two balls to Javeh he bowls those great bouncer hit him one I think on the side of the helmet and then on the glove and he comes you know end of the he says you know if he bowls a bouncer you go for the hook shot and I'll take care of the rest I said what do you mean it happened like that he bowled me a bounce I was ready for it because that's the only length is bowling.

And so Danny is now walking back to his run up and so is Javit. With him and he says, pull him another one. He's going to hit you out of the gun. So Danny gives me to... This is cheering you up. Yeah, yeah. So Danny gives me two lethal bounces and walk up to Javid. I said, what the hell is wrong with him?

But is that kind of a character you... It's a bit like, yeah, it's where Tony Greig kept signalling boundaries. where he was playing is. And the bloc in the other said, don't do that. Jab me and Dad, one of the great antagonizers. But a top player. Absolutely. Andy?

Talk about players. His peak basically lasted until the end of the 1980s from his debut. His first hundred tests, he averaged 57. And tailed off just a little as he aged. But a fan. Just in terms of moments, Ramees, one of the iconic moments in Pakistan's one day history, that last ball six that he hit in the shelter.

in shelter against India. It's just incredible that game because we were losing it. I mean it started at I think 9.30. We were at the receiving end from 935 to 5. 5 minutes to 5 and at 5 we won. It's just incredible it was actually. So I mean and that was the start of us then dominating India because we sort of won the next 20 ODIs and never looked back just because of that psychological barrier that Javed broke

actually. Before that we were struggling against India. Yeah, if any listeners, if you ever find yourself in a conversation with an Indian cricket fan that you would like to end, just mention that ball that Javan. Chathen Sherma was the bowler actually. And Kapil bowled the 49th over and gave it to Chaiton Sharma. For the last one. He was the last one. He bowled a Yorker. It was hit for a six. Yeah, India still talks about it now.

Some pretty tough bowlers he had to face up against as well, Lili and Tomo, the West Indies fast bowlers. Muhammad Yusif is a Mamal Haq. If you had to pick between one of the Well, I played a lot of cricket with Inzi, so I'd pick Inzi. Inzi was like, you know, relaxed, chilled, but great under pressure, loads of talent. I mean, he wasn't hard working. If only it worked hard, he'd be at par with some of the greats of the game. You know, Mohammed Yusuf, an artist, obviously, you know, great record, broke with Richard's record for most runs in a single season. But I'd give it to Inzi.

Inzy, I mean, Insey would always feature in my top list. Yeah, I remember watching him in that World Cup semi-final in 1992. He was young then. He was only just in the team. And it was a game that New Zealand were kind of winning again. Simifinal. At Auckland, I think. And we didn't know much about Inzaman from afar then.

He was a young pup. And it was a stunning innings there. And then we had 30 ball 60s. I enjoyed him when he was captain. into you'd go over as a press that you'd interview you know he'd sit day before the match you'd go down to the ground you've got sort of you know what it's like you got to preview it and have a little press comment is it everyone else be bowling in the nets and having a bat and he most of the time sat in this wicker chair and then he would give an interview which actually did have great

english so it didn't actually tell us but he had a wicked dry humor vicar in old though he was hilarious he was in slow motion he would make fun of people right yeah well we didn't quite see that bit but but he was and also he was sort of a one-off because he you know by the end he was not the most gliding athlete but he could bat beautifully yeah he was brilliant it became a cult figure almost didn't it yeah yeah is a mamu alhuk so mohamadu yus have been there as well andy with the numbers well just um and a couple of other players to consider us from the batting sides ahira bas if you look at His peak, again, in the early 80s, averaged almost 75 over 22 test sequence.

And if you consider one-day stats, he talked about strike rates based on the era that players were playing in. Zaharabas, average 47 in one-day cricket, with a strike rate of almost 85, which was off the scale in those days. I mean, for context, someone like Gordon Greenwich, who was viewed as one of the great attacking players. I think his one-day strike rate was around about 65. So Zahue was second only to Viv Richards, who stats, where he even. more incredible in one-day cricket certainly of that era of one-day players and also yeah fantastic test player made those two double hundreds in England that we were talking about yesterday so yeah i mean i mean he didn't you don't want to spin to zahir he just penetrated the field

i mean the other one that springs of mind he probably doesn't get into this but from my era i was just played against a few times it was just beautiful to watch and quite a character i think was margic car or here wise who was a beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful silky player quite a haughty character I think but you know sort of lovely deep voice too had a presence about him but he could back too or usually in very yellow pads yeah and in a cap yeah does Barbara's arm make the list now no it's it's I hate to say that I'd love to say that he would make the list and we got very excited about him when he won that you know the player of the year the ICC player

of the year the cigar field sobers of war a couple of years ago. In fact, it was a sequence of Pakistan one back to back with Barber and Shaheen. And it was very good times, but I feel like at the moment, I don't think he's making that list. There's so many great players who already might not make that list. And I think, I like to think by the end of his career, Isha, we might be able to put him in that list. But right now, certainly. I mean, I like Barbara Asim.

I think his overall record is impressive. I mean, his one-day record is decent. He also plays T-20 cricket. So, I mean, he should feature there. I think, yeah, I mean, he's got road to travel, but it's just that you can't ignore him also. He's a stylist. Andy was talking about the aesthetics of the game.

I mean, his cover drive is probably at power with any in the circuit. And when on song is lovely prayer to watch. One more name. Ms. Barrel Hack doesn't score so highly on the aesthetic at the aesthetic grounds. But again, in terms of his impact on Pakistan cricket, He still averaged, I think, 46 in Test Cricket, over 50 in the games that he capped in them. But the influence he had as captain taking over after the sort of low ebb of the spot fixing here in 2010, led Pakistan from way down in the test rankings up to number one, had some fantastic wins.

And also played one of the fastest hundreds in Test history. Against Australia, I think it was. And he equaled the record for the fastest 50 as well. I remember watching that. And he, as you say, you can't state this enough. He picked up Pakistan from one of the lowest ebbs. There was a test match during that series where Shahi the freely briefly captain, and then he himself retired from Pakistan cricket.

So there were absolute turmoil happening. Mizbah takes over. He comes and he has this gravitas. He picks up the team all the way to world number one, as you say. And statistically, he's Pakistan's best ever captain as well. He's won 26 test matches as captain out of his 56, which is even more than Imran Khan did. And, you know, I know Imran's got a different kind of stature because of all of his achievements.

But Mizbaal, I think, on the basis of being, you know, their best performing test captain, the iconic moments, the press-ups here at Lord's 2016. He scored a century as well. He did. He scored a century here as well. He just feels like somebody who has an enormous gravitas and just that record that he's got as well. Yeah, I think he could certainly make a case for him. Shai de Freed, one of the great characters in Pakistan cricket as well. Your domain, Vic. Well, I've been waiting for the...

You've got to have Abdul, Kadeas. I mean, I couldn't pick him. And I had an opportunity to pick him a few times, and I found it practically impossible. But he was a wondrous, aggressive. And he was a forerunner. He brought leg spin back into, wrist spin, back into the game. And kind of worn, I think, fed off Abdul.

And he was probably barking mad in some ways, but he was aggressive at you, fizzing that ball down and enjoying himself immensely. I mean, you would have played with that ball. And he was just a wonder to watch. And that horrendous feeling that I had, oh, gosh, so Googling, I didn't know that. I didn't pick it.

So I mean, Imran introduced Lake Spin to whiteball cricket, actually. So we used to play two legies, Carder and Mushy. So we were the Moosh. Mark. Yeah, yeah. So I mean, he was another who was really clever.

But Abdul Qadha was iconic. He was the first, and Imran liked aggressive spinners. And he would straight away say, get a short leg in, get a silly midoff in, get that midoff in, get that midoff up, and Imran loved it. And the idea was right because Imran failed to win ODIs or white ball games, you've got to pick wickets. And that's why he got Abdul Qadheed playing a lot of. of Javed Miyadh never liked Abdul Qadar because he felt that leg spinners are difficult to handle and they give away so many runs.

But Imran on the other hand was different in captaincy style. So we actually played with two legies. I mean I think I haven't studied it but I think he was a fantastic test bowler as well. But like a lot of the bowlers, Australia was a problem. I mean even Murrilly had a pretty modest record and I think Abdul The Australians somehow, maybe they, I don't know, the wickets or the fact they go after the wrist spin. So I suppose the only flaw in his career was that he never really dominated it. He dominated in England.

He dominated in Pakistan. But he was just a wondrous sight, too. He was actually. Did he stick his tongue out as well when he bowled? Just stick it out as he rolled. Well, I mean, I can't remember. I had enough trouble trying to spot which way the ball was me. I didn't bother with his tongue.

hugely respected in Australia though Abdul Qadir and he was pretty accurate as well for a legy is very accurate if we're looking at numbers Andy Mushhtak Ahmed Abdul Qadir throws Sakklae

Mushtak in there as well not a leggy but mystery well Abdul 236 wickets at 32 in his 67 tests much more effective at home average 26 in Pakistan 47 away from Pakistan

Yasei Shah, now that was sort of more recent legs, but maybe didn't have quite that magic, but had fantastic wickets per match. I think it was the, he's still the quickest to 200 test wickets in terms of matches plays. Sackland Mushhtak over 200 wickets, average average 29,

maybe didn't play as much test cricket as well. And another innovator of course. The Dostra. And Mushhtak Ahmed, who sort of had a slightly up and down career, almost the same average as Abdul Qadde, just under 33, 185 wickets in his 50

tests. Sacklaine, I mean, just a word on him. He was iconic, really, for a while. He just really, in a team full of fast bowlers and stars, he made his own sort of personality stand out as well. As a spinner, I believe he was the first Pakistani to take a hat-trick in a 50-over World Cup as well. 49 test matches for him, 208 wickets at 29,

Mushnag Ahmed, 52 test matches, 185 at 32. Obviously, both played a lot of one-day internationals as well. Anyone else that we should be discussing before we, finalize the 10th? Did Shia the Frida get his day in court? I tell you why, because I think in the list we've leaned heavily on test cricket, and rightfully so, it's the, the format, but, and we're here at a test match. But in Pakistan, you can't under understate the importance of whiteball cricket and the iconography of it as well. Remember the biggest most iconic moment is in Moran lifting a white ball world cup in 92 and shy of the free this record in white ball cricket is absolutely phenomenal.

And so I think deserves more than a mention. Boom, boom. Yeah. You loved watching him about. That's for sure. Didn't he score a century with Sachin Tornikas bat? He did one score a century in Satchington-Logas bat. He also held the record for the fastest one-day international century as a 16-year-old. He was 16-year-old. Made his debut for Pakistan as a leg spinner, like a replacement for Mishdhaq Ahmed or like a substitute of Mishdhaq Ahmed. Got a game as a pinch hitter, scores a 37-ball-hundred in 1996. You know who was the next man in after he got out?

Was it yourself? Yep. and he just massacred the opposition with a 37 board. And you've still got loads of time to bat. Yeah, I said, what? Don't worry, what should I do here? I know the three. Everyone would have gone to the bar.

What shot did you play first ball just out of interest? I can't remember. I mean, it's just, I mean, what transpired before, I was just, I mean, it's just phenomenal hitting it was. There were massive sixes. I reckon his ODI whiteball record is pretty impressive as well. And he was a player of the series in that World Cup they won in 2009. But who would keep who is the best keeper? I was going to say I don't know if you're going to choose the keeper, who would it be?

I don't know really. There's no. There's no. Moin, Rashid Latif. Yeah, Rashid Latif was probably a bit like Jeffrey Dujon. So it's, you know, loose and very athletic. Good against spin. You seem Barri.

Could you get to that conversation? Bari was very, very safe. Then obviously, Moin Khan was an all-round keeper. batsman and keeper was a bit like Rodney Marsh. Who else? We had a sequence of Akhman Akh. Kamran Akhmal had a good time of it, but not a, I mean, better as a batsman than a keeper. We've got to finalize the 10.

This is going to be very difficult to do. From the conversation, this is what I've got down. Hanif Mohamed, Saeed Anwar, Javid, me and dad. I think one of Eunice Khan or Mohammed Yusuf has to go. In Zamamal Mughak, Imran Khan, Wazimakram, Abdul Qadir. You're choosing Vic as the best spinner, Abdul Qadir? But also as a sort of trailblazer as well. Wakaar Yunis.

That's 10. Is that 10? But you've got to choose one of Yusuf and Khan or Inzaman. No, no, sorry. Enzi's there. So wait, hold on. So one of the... Sorry, you can keep both UNScan and Mohammed Yusuf.

So you're not squeezing a Baburazam. And you're not squeezing in Zahir Abkhaz. Oh, I'd squeeze Faisal Mahmoud in just for the impact he had on establishing Pakistan ahead of Mohammed Yusuf. It's an impossible task, yes. There's so many, there's so many players and, well, they see I would squeeze Abdul Hafi Skard-Dar and there is obviously because it's the first ever captain without him. There's nothing going forward, is there?

So you can make a case for them, Safaraz, noirs, noirs. Without him, there's no reverse. But there's a lot of, without him, this does a lot of him. doesn't happen kind of situation. But if you're going on pure stats, I think, I think Zahir makes the cut, don't you think? From personal experience, I would think I least liked bowling as Zahir Abas and any of those.

I mean, I never thought I'd ever get him out. And I don't think I ever did. And that's mostly a little sort of inconsequential in some ways, local derby's when Somerset played Gloucester. I mean, are you going to have to take a vote on this issue? No, no. No, it's all that.

Go on. We're not going to fight. We're not. No. I think Rameh should have the passing vote. There are no one of it. There are people at home that won't talk to him for a month or two. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.

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