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A quiet storm: Saqlain Mushtaq reveals Pakistan's Viv Richards

Richards is known as one of the greatest cricketers of all-time

A quiet storm: Saqlain Mushtaq reveals Pakistan's Viv Richards PHOTO: PCB

Pakistan’s legendary former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, in a YouTube video, revealed the Pakistani equivalent of West Indies’ batting great Sir Vivian Richards, which, in his opinion, was Pakistan's former captain Inzamamul Haq.

The 43-year-old claimed that when Inzamam came to the Pakistan side, he created ripples all over the first-class circuit for not wearing a helmet, despite facing a barrage of bouncers on every occasion.

“I remember when he came into the Pakistan team, he had created ripples all over the first-class circuit. He did not wear a helmet and despite this, he pulled and hooked bowlers from the front foot. And when he was selected for the Pakistan squad, Imran Khan was the captain. He gave the ball to Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and asked them to check the newcomer in the squad,” Saqlain said on his YouTube channel.

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The former off-spinner stated that Inzamam’s technique and attitude were similar to Richards, despite facing some of the fastest bowlers in the world.

“Both the bowlers were asked to hurl bouncers at full pace. Inzamam strapped his pads on, there was no helmet and the way he batted in the nets, Imran was so impressed that he made his debut against West Indies. With his cap on, he pulled and hooked on his front foot. He was always on the move, always on the front foot, he drove, cut and slashed the West Indies bowlers. Everyone started calling him Pakistan’s Viv Richards - as even Viv used to take his front foot forward and smash the bowlers towards mid-wicket,” he said.

Mushtaq revealed that Inzamam was fast on his feet which made him a game-changer in the world of cricket.

“I have played a lot with him, I have bowled a lot to him in the nets, I have never got him out stumped. He was so quick on his feet that he got close to the ball and smashed us all. He was a game-changer, power hitter, the opposition always feared him,” he concluded.