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Ranking the Top 10 Best Pakistani Cricketers of All Time (Updated)

9 min
Top 10 Best Pakistani Cricketers of All Time

Summary

Imran Khan has been ranked as the best Pakistani cricketer of all time, due to his valuable and important contributions for the team. The top 10 list includes iconic bowlers like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, followed by talented batters like Javed Miandad and Hanif Mohammad. Rankings consider their stats, contribution, and impact for the Pakistani Cricket Team.

Cricket has been a popular sport in the Asian subcontinent for a very long period of time. Pakistani cricket has seen many ups and downs in its history. From winning the first ICC ODI World Cup in 1992 to the first Champions Trophy in 2017, the Pakistani cricketing circuit has seen many players contributing to the success of the team.

Pakistan is known for producing many world-class bowlers, but they have also contributed many dominating batters to the world as well. Over the years, many world-class players have been a part of the Pakistani setup. Every player has made a name for themselves and their country. In this article, we will talk about the top 10 best Pakistani cricketers of all time.

List of Top 10 Best Pakistani Cricketers (2025 Updated List)

The best cricketers from Pakistan have achieved many milestones and achievements in their careers. They have gained popularity all over the globe with their dominant and impactful performances for the nation. These players have performed in many critical moments, turning the match to their favour and helping the team win. The list of the best Pakistani cricketers is as follows:

Rank

Player Name

Runs Scored/Wickets Taken

Major Achievements

1

Imran Khan

7,516 runs/544 wickets

Led Pakistan to their first-ever World Cup win in 1992

2

Wasim Akram

6,615 runs/916 wickets

First bowler to take 500+ ODI wickets

3

Waqar Younis

789 wickets

Youngest player to reach 200 wickets in ODIs

4

Javed Miandad

16,213 runs

Played in six consecutive World Cups (1975–1996)

5

Imzamam-ul-Haq

20,580 runs

Pakistan’s second-highest ODI run scorer

6

Hanif Mohammad

3,915 runs

Played the longest Test innings ever (337 runs in 970 minutes vs West Indies)

7

Saeed Anwar

12,876 runs

20 ODI centuries

8

Shahid Afridi

11,196 runs/541 wickets

Scored the fastest ODI century in 37 balls

9

Younis Khan

17,790 runs

Scored centuries against all Test-playing nations

10

Mohammad Yousuf

17,300 runs

Most Test runs in a calendar year- 1,788 runs in 2006

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Who is the Best Pakistani Cricketer?

Over the years, the Pakistan Cricket Team has seen many skilful and talented cricketers, who have performed for the team and given their best at every possible time. This list contains the best Pakistani cricketers ever who have been involved with the sport. Imran Khan, the maiden World Cup-winning captain, is arguably the best Pakistani cricketer of all time​. However, let's find out the answer to who is the best Pakistani cricketer.

10. Mohammad Yousuf | Most runs for Pakistan in a calendar year in Tests

Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Right-handed middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been an important and prolific batter for the Pakistani Cricket Team. He was considered one of the greatest Pakistani cricketers of all time due to his elegant and effective strokes. Yousuf was known for his consistency in the middle order. In the year 2006, he scored the most runs (1,788) in Tests in a calendar year.

Category

Test

ODI

T20I

Matches

90

288

3

Runs

7530

9720

50

Batting Average

52.29

41.71

16.66

Highest Score

223

141*

26

100s

24

15

0

9. Younis Khan | Highest run scorer for Pakistan in the Test format

Younis Khan
Younis Khan (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Younis Khan is a right-handed middle-order batter for Pakistan, who has served the Pakistan Cricket Team in all three formats since his international debut in 2000. He was a phenomenal batter who always stood up for the team on many crucial and important occasions, which is why he is considered one of the greatest Pakistani cricketers of all time. Younis is the highest run-scorer (10,099) in Tests for Pakistan and also has the most Test centuries (34) for the nation.

Category

Test

ODI

T20I

Matches

118

265

25

Runs

10099

7249

442

Batting Average

52.05

31.24

22.10

Highest Score

313

144

51

100s

34

7

0

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8. Shahid Afridi | Youngest and Fastest ODI century scorer for Pakistan.

Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

One of the greatest spin bowling all-rounders in the world of cricket, Shahid Afridi, has established a name for himself in the Pakistani cricket circuit. He was a talented leg-spin bowler who contributed valuable runs lower down the order. In the year 1996, Shahid Afridi became the youngest and fastest ODI century scorer for Pakistan.

Category

Test

ODI

T20I

Matches

27

398

99

Runs

1716

8064

1416

Batting Average

36.51

23.57

17.92

Wickets

48

394

98

Bowling Average

35.60

34.51

24.44

7. Saeed Anwar | 20 ODI Centuries

Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Left-handed batter, Saeed Anwar is regarded as one of the greatest openers from Pakistan as well as the greatest cricketer from Pakistan. He was an elegant stroke batter, known for his timing and placement. Saeed provided many electrifying starts for the Pakistan Cricket Team in Tests and ODIs. He was a consistent batter and scored 20 ODI centuries, with many helping Pakistan to win crucial games.

Category

Test

ODI

Matches

55

247

Runs

4052

8824

Batting Average

45.52

39.21

Highest Score

188*

194

100s

11

20

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6. Hanif Mohammad | Longest Test innings against West Indies

Hanif Mohammad
Hanif Mohammad (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

One of the first star players from Pakistan, Hanif Mohammad, established a reputation as the little master. He was a fearless batter known for playing long innings and immaculate defensive shots. In the year 1958, Hanif Mohammad played the longest innings in a Test match, scoring 337 runs in 970 minutes against the West Indies in Bridgetown.

Category

Test

First Class

Matches

55

238

Runs

3915

17059

Batting Average

43.98

52.32

Highest Score

337

499

100s

12

55

5. Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan’s second-highest ODI run scorer

Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Former Pakistan Cricket Team captain and middle-order batter, Inzamam-ul-Haq, has been one of the best Pakistani cricketers ever. He was a gifted and accomplished batter who was regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest middle-order batsmen with more than 20,000 international cricket runs. He had a little, bulky body and smashed bowlers all around the stadium. Many cricket experts and fans rated him as one of the best batters against pace bowlers.

Category

Test

ODI

T20I

Matches

120

378

1

Runs

8830

11739

11

Batting Average

49.60

39.52

-

Highest Score

329

137*

11*

100s

25

10

0

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4. Javed Miandad | Played in six consecutive World Cups (1975–1996)

Javed Miandad
Javed Miandad (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Javed Miandad is the greatest batter Pakistan Cricket has ever seen. He was a right-handed batter who scored runs consistently and carried the team since his debut in 1975. The batter was known for his grit and mentality. Javed played in six consecutive ICC ODI World Cups from 1975 to 1996 with the Pakistan Cricket Team.

Category

Test

ODI

Matches

124

233

Runs

8832

7381

Batting Average

52.57

41.70

Highest Score

280*

119*

100s

23

8

3. Waqar Younis | Youngest player to reach 200 wickets in ODIs

Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

One of the greatest fast bowlers from Pakistan, Waqar Younis, was known for his toe-crushing yorkers and lethal reverse swing. He delivered many match-winning and valuable bowling spells for the Pakistan Cricket Team. Waqar became one of the youngest fast bowlers to take 200 Test wickets and the youngest for 200 ODI wickets.

Category

Test

ODI

Matches

87

262

Wickets

373

416

Bowling Average

23.56

23.84

Economy

3.25

4.68

BBF

7/76

7/36

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2. Wasim Akram | First bowler to take 500+ ODI wickets

Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram(image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

One of the best Pakistani bowlers, Wasim Akram, has established a reputation as one of the best Pakistani cricketers. He was a master of swing and seam, which made him a dangerous bowler in world cricket. Wasim Akram made many valuable contributions to the Pakistan Cricket Team and became the first bowler to take 500+ ODI wickets. Apart from bowling, he also provided handy and effective batting lower down the order.

Category

Test

ODI

Matches

104

356

Wickets

414

502

Bowling Average

23.62

23.52

Runs

2898

3717

Batting Average

22.64

16.52

1. Imran Khan | Led Pakistan to their first-ever World Cup win in 1992

Imran Khan
Imran Khan (image credits: official X account of ICC | @ICC)

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan is the best Pakistani cricket player of all time. He was a top-notch all-rounder who contributed with the bat and the bowl for the Pakistan Cricket Team. He is one of only 8 all-rounders with 3,000+ runs and 300+ wickets in Tests. He inspired the Pakistani team with his leadership and presence. He is also among the richest Pakistani cricketers of all time.

Category

Test

ODI

Matches

88

175

Runs

3807

3709

Batting Average

37.69

33.41

Wickets

362

182

Bowling Average

22.81

26.61

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Ranking Factors

We have ranked the players on the basis of their stats, contribution, and impact for the Pakistani Cricket Team. Skills and Abilities of the players also play a major role in defining their rank in the best Pakistani cricketers of all time list. We have analysed the player stats in different formats and found out their contribution and impact on the matches and tournaments.

Top 5 Best Pakistani Cricketers in 2025

Rank

Player Name

Runs/Wickets (Asia Cup 2025)

1

Sahibzada Farhan

156 runs

2

Fakhar Zaman

122 runs

3

Mohammad Haris

100 runs

4

Saim Ayub

6 Wickets

5

Shaheen Shah Afridi

6 wickets

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the best Pakistani cricketer?

+

Imran Khan was the best Pakistani cricketer.

Who is the legend of Pakistan?

+

Imran Khan is the legend of Pakistan.

Who is called the king of cricket in Pakistan?

+

Babar Azam is called the king of cricket in Pakistan.

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Edited by- Aaryan Raj
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