Widely regarded as the inventor of the famed ‘Doosra’ delivery, Saqlain Mushtaq is considered as one of the greatest spin bowlers to have graced the game. He was the first off-spinner to consistently utilise the mystery delivery which formed a key part of his armoury in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Also noted for his characteristic pause when delivering the ball, Saqlain was indeed a formidable limited overs bowler — picking up 288 wickets from 169 matches at an average of 21.78.
Saqlain also achieved success in the 49 Tests he played, collecting 208 wickets including 13 five-wicket hauls and on three occasions taking 10-fors, the highlight being the 10-for he claimed in Pakistan’s famous 13-run victory over India at Chennai in 1999.
Saqlain’s career did not have the longevity of the quality spinners of his era and was cut short by persistent knee injuries. Since his retirement, he has been working as spin-bowing coach for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and has had coaching stints in Australia, England and New Zealand and most recently, for the West Indies in the ICC World T20 2014 in Bangladesh.
In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Saqlain spoke about his role with the West Indies squad, his opinion of Sunile Narine and Samuel Badree as world class spinners, his assessment of the Pakistan Twenty20 (T20) squad and views on the legality of some bowling actions.
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