Shoaib Malik Biography : Nobody fits the description of a “jack of all trades, master of none” better than Shoaib Malik. An almost two-decade career that started as an off-spinner would probably conclude, when it happens, as one of Pakistan’s most consistent batsmen in the shortened forms of the game. The man from Sialkot is a spectator’s delight, with a watertight defense supported by some elegant horizontal bat shots and lofted drives. In terms of his batting average, however, most of his career has been a musical chairs game. He has dabbled in all batting positions, ranging from one to ten.
He’s seen everything as a manufactured slogger, a workman’s middle-order bat, a dependable number three, and a reliable opener. The consensus among cricket pundits on Shoaib is that he walks on thin ice on the subcontinent and that the ice gets thinner the farther he travels. However, criticism of the reserved and soft-spoken Malik has scarcely been directed towards him.
Shoaib Malik’s Biography
Born on February 1, 1982, Shoaib Malik is a cricket player from Pakistan who presently plays for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and for the Pakistan national team. From 2007 to 2009, he led the Pakistani cricket team as captain. He debuted in a one-day international against the West Indies in 1999 and against Bangladesh in a test match the following year. Malik declared his retirement from Test cricket on November 3, 2015, to concentrate on the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He became the first cricketer to play 100 Twenty20 internationals on July 2, 2018.
He declared his retirement from One Day International Cricket on July 5, 2019, following Pakistan’s victory over Bangladesh in their final group stage match at Lord’s during the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Malik competed for Pakistan in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, where they took first place.
In both Test and ODI cricket, he has amassed over 150 wickets in ODI matches, and his batting average is in the mid-30s. His bowling motion has drawn criticism, especially for his doosra, but he underwent elbow surgery to fix it. In June 2008, Malik came in second place in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings, behind colleague Shahid Afridi.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned Malik from playing international cricket for a year in March 2010, a decision that was reversed two months later.
When Malik captained the now-defunct Sialkot Stallions, they won eight consecutive domestic T20 titles, their final one being in 2015.
Malik broke through as Pakistan’s top run scorer in T20I cricket on September 13, 2017.
Against India in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, he scored 126 runs.
He was selected to lead Punjab’s team at the 2018 Pakistan Cup in April of that year.
Malik made history on July 1, 2018, when he became the first Asian batsman to achieve 2,000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals, third overall, and the first player to play in 100 T20Is worldwide.
At the 2018 Caribbean Premier League, in August of that year, he became the fourth batter to reach 8,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s match against Balochistan on October 10, 2020, during the 2020–21 National T20 Cup, Shoaib Malik became the first batter from Pakistan to reach 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket history.
Playing with the Rangpur Riders in the 2022–23 Bangladesh Premier League, he made history in February 2023 by being the first Pakistani player to play 500 T20 matches and the third cricketer (after West Indies’ Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo) to do so.
Personal life
Malik was born in Sialkot, Punjab, into a Muslim family of middle-class descent.
In 2006, his father, Malik Faqueer Hussain, a lowly shoe salesman from the area who encouraged his son’s love of cricket, passed away from throat cancer.
On April 7, 2010, Malik filed for divorce from his wife, Ayesha Siddiqui. He married Indian tennis player Sania Mirza on April 12, 2010, in the Taj Krishna Hotel in Hyderabad, India, during a traditional Muslim wedding ceremony that was followed by Pakistani wedding customs. In Sialkot, Pakistan, the birthplace of Shoaib, their Walima ceremony took place. Global media and internet attention was drawn to their wedding. On April 23, 2018, the couple took to social media to announce their first pregnancy. On October 30, 2018, a boy was born, becoming their first child.
Shoaib wed Pakistani TV star Sana Javed held a discreet Nikah ceremony at her Karachi house on January 19, 2024. Sana formerly married the musician Umair Jaswal. Both his nephew Muhammad Huraira and brother Adeel Malik play cricket.
Toni & Guy has Shoaib Malik as one of its brand ambassadors. He wears All-Rounder as his scent.
Early career
When he was younger, he used to play street cricket with a tape ball. When he was twelve years old and went to one of Imran Khan’s traveling coaching clinics in Sialkot in 1994, he started playing cricket seriously. He started as a batsman before becoming a bowler. His family used to get upset with him for playing cricket since they preferred that he concentrate on his studies. Malik participated in the U-15 World Cup trials in 1996. Because of his bowling, he was chosen for the squad.
Malik’s bowling motion was examined in May 2001. His stock off-spinner was deemed lawful by the PCB committee of bowling consultants, but his delivery in the opposite direction was not. He was advised to practice bowling his other delivery without bending his arm and to focus on his off-spin. Malik broke his right shoulder in a One Day International (ODI) match against England in June 2001 as he stumbled and fell while trying to make a catch.
In July 2003, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club invited Malik to step in for Ian Harvey, who was away on international duty with Australia. The club’s director of cricket, John Bracewell, expressed his excitement at the possibility of bringing in an international spinning all-round player to take Ian’s place for the C&G semi-finals and the Cheltenham Festival. He will give the squad a novel and energizing touch that is consistent with our aim to both win and entertain. After making an adequate impression in two County Championship and three one-day matches, his contract was extended for the 2004 season.
“Shoaib did very well for us last year in the short time he was with us and fitted in very well,” said the team’s head coach, Mark Alleyne. Being a 21-year-old, he is a talented all-around player who deserves a spot in either discipline and I am thrilled to have him on my team.” Malik played eight first-class matches during his two seasons at Gloucestershire. He took 15 wickets at an average of 45.06, with best bowling statistics of 3/76, and scored 214 runs at an average of 17.83 with two fifties.
Malik had a “potentially flawed bowling action” that was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in October 2004; eight months later, his action was deemed to be correct. Malik saw most of his use at that time as a batsman. The Pakistan Cricket Board fined him Rs10,000
and suspended him for one Test after he admitted to intentionally losing a Twenty20 match for the Sialkot Stallions against the Karachi Zebras to eliminate the Lahore Eagles from the 2004–05 ABN-AMRO Twenty–20 Cup.
The inquiry found that the incident “damaged Pakistan’s cricketing image and had shown disrespect to the crowd”, however, “his actions were not part of any match-fixing with no financial implications, but were an immature attempt to express his disappointment at earlier decisions in the competition that he felt went against his side”. In addition, the PCB ruled the match null and void, depriving Karachi Zebras of a spot in the ABN Amro Twenty20 Cup triangular round even though they had already defeated Sialkot Stallions in their Pool “B” encounter.
Malik has batted at five different places during his Test career. He has the unique distinction of having batted at every position in ODIs save the eleventh spot. Because Pakistan cannot seem to create a consistent opening partnership, Malik has been the opening player in both Test and ODI matches. His match-saving effort against Sri Lanka in 2006, when he batted the entire day and concluded with 148 runs not out, left a lasting impression on Test cricketers. His bowling has occasionally been successful, particularly in one-day cricket, where he has taken multiple three-wicket hauls in addition to his best numbers of four wickets for 19 runs (4/19).
In England, Malik struggled on the international scene. Between 2001 and 2006, he participated in four tours and scored 98 runs at an average of 8.16 in 12 ODIs. His lifetime ODI average of 34.35 was significantly higher, with just two scores above 20. Malik is the player whose overall average is the lowest out of all those who have played at least eight ODIs in England.
His 2009 128 against India at Centurion was subsequently nominated by ESPNcricinfo as one of the Best ODI Batting Performances of the Year.
Pakistan captaincy
After Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned as Pakistan’s captain following the 2007 World Cup, Malik, Younis Khan, and Muhammad Yousuf were proposed as potential successors. Malik, a younger player, was the preferred option following Younus Khan’s rejection since he was perceived as a new beginning following the Inzamam era.
He was selected for the 2007 T20I World Cup ‘Team of the Tournament’ by ESPNcricinfo.
Malik’s claim to be named captain was vigorously supported by Bob Woolmer, the coach of Pakistan, who said Malik was “the sharpest tactical tack among his group… a real presence on the field.”. Malik was also endorsed for the position by former captain Imran Khan, who said, “He seems to have a good cricket brain and could turn out to be a very good choice for Pakistan cricket.” Malik was named captain by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on April 19, 2007. His appointment was also supported by his regular performances and experience, which was noteworthy given his relatively young age. He was the fourth-youngest captain of Pakistan at the age of just 25.
Pakistan won an ODI series in Abu Dhabi 2-1 over Sri Lanka in Malik’s maiden series as captain. His next tasks were to play South Africa in the home Test and One-Day International series, which Pakistan lost 0–0 and 3-2, respectively. When Pakistan and India next faced off in an ODI series, the result was 3-2 in favor of India. Pakistan won by 31 runs in the last game, in which Malik scored 89 runs and claimed three wickets.
Malik led the team for two years. Malik was described as “a loner, aloof, and involved in his little world, which is OK but not when the team required a fully committed captain” in a report written by the manager and coach, which criticized his leadership. Except for his five-minute speech during the team meeting, we do not witness any significant communication between the captain and the players.”
On January 27, 2009, Younis Khan assumed the captaincy following Malik’s resignation due to a subpar performance against Sri Lanka. During his two years as captain, Malik captained his nation in three Test matches, winning two and drawing one, 36 one-day internationals (ODIs), 24 T20 matches, and 12 Twenty20 matches.
Sarfraz Ahmed, the current captain of Pakistan, was banned by the ICC for making racist remarks about South African player Andile Phehlukwayo during the country’s December 2018–February 2019 tour. Malik took command of his short overs until that tour, which consisted of two ODIs and three T20Is. In March 2019, he assumed leadership of Pakistan’s limited-overs team while Sarfraz Ahmed was rested for the ODI series against Australia.
Shoaib Malik Biography : Post-captaincy
Malik faced a one-year ban from the national squad in March 2010 after the PCB accused him of inciting internal strife on the team. It was part of a shocking player purge that followed Pakistan’s defeatist tour of Australia, which led to the fine or suspension of seven players. Malik was contacted two months later by the Lancashire County Cricket team to play for them in the Twenty20 Cup in England, and the chance to represent a prestigious team like Lancashire was too good to refuse.
Malik’s ban was lifted and his Rs 2 million fine was cut in half on May 29, 2010. Malik later chose to terminate his contract with Lancashire after being named in the MSL 2019 squad.
In the four-team competition, Pakistan was eliminated, and Malik appeared in two games with a total of 47 runs scored. Mailk was included in Pakistan’s team for their June–August 2010 tour of England and Australia, but he was left off the roster. A consistent member of the ODI team, he had averaged about 30 runs at bat throughout the preceding 12 months, except for one score of more than 50. His batting average was roughly 20.
Malik was dropped by Pakistan’s chairman of selectors, Mohsin Khan, due to his unsatisfactory performance in the last game. Malik was a key member of the Pakistan team that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 when they defeated India in the championship match. Malik returned to international cricket in 2015.
He was included in the Rest of the World XI roster in April 2018 for the special T20I match against the West Indies that was scheduled to take place at Lord’s on May 31. He was one of thirty-three players who received a central contract from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in August 2018 for the 2018–19 campaign.
After the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League draft, he was added to the Comilla Victorians team roster in October 2018.
He was included in Pakistan’s Cricket World Cup squad in April 2019. With just 8 runs from 3 games, 2 golden ducks, 1 wicket taken with the ball, and even being dropped from the team, he had a terrible World Cup campaign. After the World Cup, Shoaib gave up playing in the One-Day International League.
He was included in a roster of 29 players for Pakistan’s COVID-19 pandemic tour to England in June 2020.
At the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, he was selected for Pakistan’s team and achieved the joint-fastest fifty of the competition.
Shoaib Malik Biography : Playing style
Malik is thought to be a versatile player. In addition to his ability to hit huge shots, he also possesses outstanding strike-rotation skills. At 80.4 runs per 100 balls, he strikes the ball more frequently than players like Rahul Dravid and Inzamam ul-Haq. In 2003, while playing South Africa, he put on his most ostentatious “power hitting” exhibition, scoring 82 off of 41 balls. He has also occasionally demonstrated strong defensive batting, which is a must for the majority of modern players.
IPL career
After signing with the Delhi Daredevils, Shoaib Malik participated in the IPL’s first season. In just 7 games, he managed to hit 52 runs and claim 2 wickets during the competition. The tense atmosphere following the 2008 Mumbai attacks prevented him from playing in the IPL in its second edition or any subsequent edition.
Pakistan Super League
For the first PSL competition, Shoaib Malik was named the Karachi Kings’ captain. Only two games were won by his team during his captaincy, which had an impact on his play as well. He gave Ravi Bopara the captaincy in the previous game and participated as a player. The kings kept him for the second season. In contrast to the previous season, he had a much better one, scoring runs in pivotal games and finishing as his team’s third-highest run-scorer with 202 runs in 10 innings. He became the captain of the newly formed Multan Sultans PSL team in the third season.
He did a great job leading his team in the opening segments of the competition, but he faltered when it counted most, finishing the tournament in fifth place. With a strike rate of 124.44, he scored 224 runs in 8 innings during a strong outing with the bat as well. Due to problems with fee payments, the Multan Sultans franchise was dissolved before the PSL’s fourth season. As a result, the PCB put up a new team for bidding that they briefly dubbed The Sixth Team, captaining Malik.
Shoaib Malik was selected by Peshawar Zalmi in the 2020 Pakistan Super League players draft and will play in the league as an all-rounder for Peshawar Zalmi after being downgraded from the Platinum category to the Diamond category and after being released by the Multan Sultans.
Caribbean Premier League career
From 2013 until 2017, Shoaib Malik was a member of the Barbados Tridents, participating in the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth Caribbean Premier League seasons. For the sixth CPL season, he inked a contract with the Guyana Amazon Warriors. In addition, he was appointed captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. The team decided to keep him for the seventh edition of the CPL. He was slated to participate in the eighth edition of the CPL as well, however, he was left off of the 2020 CPL roster after being included in Pakistan’s team for their tour of England. He rejoined the Guyana Amazon Warriors in May 2021 for the Caribbean Premier League’s ninth season.
Shoaib Malik Biography : Other leagues
The Hobart Hurricanes signed him in 2013 for the Big Bash League season of 2013–14. The Hobart Hurricanes decided to keep him for the 2014–15 Big Bash League season. He also competed in the 2014 CLT20 with the Hobart Hurricanes.
He signed a six-match contract with Warwickshire for the 2014 T20 Blast.
Malik participated in the Bangladesh Premier League’s third season in 2015 with the Comilla Victorians. The Chittagong Vikings signed him in 2016 for the fourth Bangladesh Premier League season. For the fifth and sixth Bangladesh Premier League seasons, the Comilla Victorians drafted him back into the team. The Rajshahi Royals then signed him for the Bangladesh Premier League’s seventh season.
He was chosen to compete in the 2019 Global T20 Canada event as a member of the Vancouver Knights franchise side in June 2019. He was chosen to play in the Bangladesh Premier League for the Rajshahi Royals in 2019–20 in November 2019. He was selected by the Jaffna Stallions in the October 2020 Lanka Premier League draft for the new league.
After the players’ draft for the 2021 Sri Lanka Premier League, he was chosen to play for the Jaffna Kings in November 2021. He signed a contract with the Jaffna Kings for the third Sri Lanka Premier League season in July 2022.
Shoaib Malik Biography : Honors
- ICC World Twenty20: 2009
- ICC Champions Trophy, 2017
- Sialkot Stallions: Pakistan National T20 Cup: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009, 2009-10, 2011-12; Haier Super 8 T20 Cup: 2012, 2015
- Barbados Tridents: Caribbean Premier League (2014)
- Uva Next: Sri Lanka Premier League 2012 (Squad Member)
- Warwickshire: T20 Blast 2014 (Squad Member)
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Pakistan National T20 Cup (2020–21)
- Cumilla Warriors: Bangladesh Premier League: 2015-16 (Squad Member), 2018-19 (Squad Member)
- Rajshahi Royals: Bangladesh Premier League (2019-20)
