Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country, but it has also produced a number of non-Muslim cricketers who have played for the national team. Cricket, the most popular sport in the country, has also been a platform for showcasing this diversity and plurality. In its history of over 70 years as a Test-playing nation, Pakistan has been represented by several non-Muslim cricketers, who have made significant contributions to the national team and the game and their stories are an important part of the country’s cricket history.
1.Wallis Mathias
The first non-Muslim to play for Pakistan was Wallis Mathias, a batsman of Goan ancestry who made his debut in 1955. He was also a brilliant fielder, who took 22 catches in 21 Tests. He scored three half-centuries, including a crucial 77 against West Indies in 1958. He played till 1962, when a finger injury cut short his career. He later captained the National Bank team and scored over 7,500 runs in first-class cricket.
2.Antao D’Souza
Another cricketer of Goan descent was Antao D’Souza, a medium-fast bowler who played six Tests between 1959 and 1962. He took 17 wickets, with a best of 5 for 112 against England in Karachi. He was also a handy lower-order batsman, who scored two fifties in first-class cricket. He migrated to Canada in 1999 with his family.
3.Duncan Sharpe
It was an Anglo-Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman, who played three Tests in 1959-60. He scored a fifty on debut against Australia in Dhaka, but could not cement his place in the team. He moved to Australia in 1961 and played for Queensland till 1964. He was the first cricketer to play first-class cricket for two countries.
4.Rusi Dinshaw
The only Parsi cricketer to be selected for Pakistan was Rusi Dinshaw, who was part of the squad for the first tour of India in 1952-53. However, he did not get a chance to play a Test match. He played nine first-class matches, scoring 171 runs. He died in tragic circumstances in Karachi in 2014.
5.Anil Dalpat
The first Hindu cricketer to play for Pakistan was Anil Dalpat, a wicketkeeper and cousin of Danish Kaneria. He played nine Tests and 15 ODIs between 1984 and 1988. He scored 167 runs and took 25 catches and two stumpings in Tests. He also played 112 first-class matches, scoring over 3,000 runs and taking 224 dismissals.
6.Danish Kaneria
The most successful non-Muslim cricketer for Pakistan was Danish Kaneria, a leg-spinner and another cousin of Anil Dalpat. He played 61 Tests and 18 ODIs between 2000 and 2010. He took 261 wickets in Tests, the fourth-highest for Pakistan and the most by any spinner from the country. He also took 15 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls in Tests. His best figures were 7 for 77 against Bangladesh in Chittagong. He also scored over 1,000 runs in Tests, with a highest of 29.
7.Mohammad Yousuf
The most controversial non-Muslim cricketer for Pakistan was Mohammad Yousuf, who converted from Christianity to Islam in 2005. He was one of the finest batsmen of his era, who played 90 Tests and 288 ODIs between 1998 and 2010. He scored over 17,000 runs across formats, with 39 centuries and 97 fifties. He holds the record for the most runs in a calendar year in Tests (1,788 in 2006) and the most centuries in a calendar year in Tests (9 in 2006). He also captained Pakistan in nine Tests and ten ODIs.
These non-Muslim cricketers represent the diversity and plurality of Pakistan’s national culture and cricketing legacy. They have faced challenges and discrimination because of their religion, but they have also earned respect and admiration for their talent and performance. They have shown that cricket is a game that transcends boundaries and unites people of different faiths and backgrounds.
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