Abdul Razzaq World Recerd History

KEVIN PIETERSEN continued his return to form with an innings of bristling intent and skittish brilliance, but was overshadowed by an 18-ball cameo from Abdul Razzaq that squared this two-match Twenty20 series.

Asked about his aggressive attitude from the off, Pietersen looked surprised, saying: “You have to go out there with purpose. That’s Twenty20, and that’s the way other guys around the world play.” It was possible to detect a dig at England’s less than purposeful start to their innings and their inability to turn a platform of 110 for one after 15 overs into a more fruitful score than the 148 they finished with.

Abdul Razzaq was once rapid enough to open the bowling and remains composed enough to bat anywhere, though he is discovering that the lower-order suits him nicely. His bowling - the reason he was first noticed - is characterised by a galloping approach, accuracy, and reverse-swing. But it is his batting that is more likely to win matches. He boasts a prodigious array of strokes and is particularly strong driving through cover and mid-off off both front and back foot. He has two gears: block or blast. Cut off the big shots and Razzaq gets bogged down, although patience is his virtue as he demonstrated in a match-saving fifty against India in Mohali in 2005. Just prior to that he had also played a bewilderingly slow innings in Australia, scoring four runs in over two hours. When the occasion demands it though, as ODIs often do, he can still slog with the best of them: England were pillaged for a 22-ball 51 at the end of 2005. and then again for nearly 60 runs in the last three overs of an ODI in September the following year

Abdul Razzaq added: “I am looking forward to playing for Hampshire in the Friends Provident t20, I've always enjoyed my cricket in England as it is a home away from home due to the massive following Pakistani players have there, and I will do my utmost to try and help Hampshire win the tournament."