Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq was a Pakistani off-spin bowler celebrated for inventing the 'doosra' delivery and for his prolific ODI wicket-taking.

Saqlain Mushtaq was born on 29 December 1976 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, and developed into one of the most inventive off-spin bowlers in cricket history, making his Test and ODI debuts against Sri Lanka in 1995. Saqlain pioneered the "doosra," a leg-break delivery bowled with an off-break bowling action designed to deceive batters expecting traditional off-spin, an innovation that transformed spin bowling and was widely copied by bowlers who followed him. Saqlain became the fastest bowler in history to reach both 200 and 250 ODI wickets, and delivered the first-ever hat-trick by a Pakistani player at a Cricket World Cup, achieved against Zimbabwe in 1999. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram called him "the greatest off-spinner he has seen." Saqlain later served as head coach of the Pakistani national team between 2021 and 2022, and remains connected to the sport through his son-in-law, Shadab Khan, a current Pakistan all-rounder, continuing a family legacy in the game he helped revolutionise.

Saqlain was an orthodox off-spinner who revolutionized spin bowling by developing the 'doosra' - a delivery that turns away from right-handed batsmen despite being bowled with an off-spinner's action. He possessed excellent control, flight, and the ability to vary his pace and trajectory effectively. His innovative approach included developing the 'teesra' and other variations that made him extremely difficult to read and play.

Saqlain's invention of the doosra fundamentally changed spin bowling and influenced a generation of off-spinners who adopted his techniques. His innovative approach to spin bowling opened new tactical possibilities and forced batsmen to completely rethink their approach against off-spin.

• First bowler to take an ODI hat-trick in a World Cup (1999)
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2000