Anwarul Amin

Anwarul Amin, commonly known as Azhar, was a Bangladeshi cricketer. A right arm off-break bowler, Azhar played for the national side in the first half of the 80's.

International career

He was a bit late coming into international cricket. He was already into his thirties when he first played for the national side. However ,having waited for a long time to get his chance, he was quick to seize the opportunity presented to him. At Faridpur, playing for the Central Zone side, he took 3/24 against MCC in 1980-81. With Obaidul Haq Azam taking 7/18, the tourists were bundled out for a mere 79 in their first innings. For Azhar, even bigger success came in 3-day match at Rajshahi. By taking 6 wickets for only 48 runs, he restricted the MCC side to only 255. [Hasan Babli. "Antorjartik Crickete Bangladesh". Khelar Bhuban Prakashani, Novermeber, 1994. ]

Azhar was a successful member of the Bangladesh that took part in the 2nd ICC Trophy in England. He took 8 wickets at an impressive average of 19.37. His economy rate was also impressive (2.44 tuns per over). [ [http://www.banglacricket.com/History/icc1982.php BanglaCricket: Bangladesh in ICC Trophy,ICC Trophy 1982, England] (Retrieved on 2008-9-30) ]

Anwarul Amin Azhar was overlooked for the tour of Kenya in the spring of 1984, as the leg spinner Wahidul Gani was preferred to him. Azhar, however, was recalled for the home series against the Hyderabad Blues. In his final international match at Dhaka, Azhar bowed out in style. he dismissed 4 top order Indian batsman, and along with leg spinner Omar Khaled Rumy put the opposition in trouble.

In Domestic Cricket

Orignally from Mymensingh, Azhar played most of his League cricket at Dhaka with the Bangladesh Biman cricket team.

The Best spinner of the 80's

In the late 70's Bangladesh had three quality spinners, Lintu, Ashraful Haque & Rumy. Things, however changed in the early 80's. Lintu left international cricket following an altercation with the authority, and Ashraful & Rumy were coming towards the end of their careers. It was Azhar, who was left to carry the burden of spin bowling. He did his job manfully for the first half of the decade. That's why many analysts (like Rafiqul Ameer) consider him to be the best Bangladeshi spinner of the 80's. Both Wahidul Gani & Ramchand Goala were more successful than Azhar in domestic cricket. But they failed to deliver the goods in the international arena. [ [http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2006/05/02/sports.htm] : Rafiqul Ameer."Looking Back: Bangladesh Cricket in the 80's". Retrieved on 2008-10-01.]

ee Also

*Marylebone Cricket Club cricket team in Bangladesh in 1980-81
* Nazrul Kader

References

External Links

http://www.banglacricket.com/html/article.php?item=400