Cricinfo - Players and Officials

Full name Umar Gul
Born April 14, 1984, Peshawar, North-Western Frontier Province
Current age 24 years 146 days
Major teams Pakistan, Gloucestershire, Kolkata Knight Riders, Pakistan A, Pakistan International Airlines
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

136

7.55

357

38.09

ODIs

17*

8.11

122

59.83

T20Is

0.00

First-class

424

10.87

List A

147

19*

8.64

Twenty20

8.37

142.55

Bowling averages

Mat

Inns

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

Tests

3612

2114

5/31

9/164

31.55

3.51

53.9

ODIs

2221

1821

5/17

28.45

4.91

34.7

T20Is

202

181

4/25

13.92

5.37

15.5

First-class

8445

4851

190

8/78

25.53

3.44

44.4

List A

4190

3407

119

5/17

28.63

4.87

35.2

Twenty20

515

560

4/21

14.73

6.52

13.5

Career statistics

Test debut

Pakistan v Bangladesh at Karachi, Aug 20-24, 2003 scorecard

Last Test

Pakistan v South Africa at Lahore, Oct 8-12, 2007 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut

Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Sharjah, Apr 3, 2003 scorecard

Last ODI

Pakistan v India at Karachi, Jun 26, 2008 scorecard

ODI statistics

T20I debut

Kenya v Pakistan at Nairobi (Gym), Sep 4, 2007 scorecard

Last T20I

Pakistan v Bangladesh at Karachi, Apr 20, 2008 scorecard

T20I statistics

First-class debut

2001/02

Last First-class

Pakistan v South Africa at Lahore, Oct 8-12, 2007 scorecard

List A debut

2002/03

Last List A

Pakistan v India at Karachi, Jun 26, 2008 scorecard

Twenty20 debut

Hyderabad Hawks v Peshawar Panthers at Lahore, Apr 25, 2005 scorecard

Last Twenty20

Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab at Kolkata, May 25, 2008 scorecard

A fast bowler of growing repute, Umar Gul is the latest in Pakistan's assembly-line of pace-bowling talent. He had played just nine first-class matches when called up for national duty in the wake of Pakistan's poor 2003 World Cup. On the flat tracks of Sharjah, Gul performed admirably, maintaining excellent discipline and getting appreciable outswing with the new ball. Gul isn't in the Shoaib Akhtar category in terms of pace, but his exceptional control and ability to extract seam movement marks him out. Further, his height enables him to extract bounce on most surfaces and from his natural back of a length, it is a useful trait. His first big moment in his career came in the Lahore Test against India in 2003-04. Unfazed by a daunting batting line-up, Gul tore through the Indian top order, moving the ball both ways off the seam at a sharp pace. His 5 for 31 in the first innings gave Pakistan the early initiative which they drove home to win the Test. Unfortunately, that was his last cricket of any kind for over a year as he discovered three stress fractures in his back immediately after the Test. The injury would have ended many an international career, but Gul returned, fitter and sharper than before in late 2005. He returned in a Pakistan shirt against India in the ODI series at home in February 2006 and in Sri Lanka showed further signs of rehabilitation by lasting both Tests but it was really the second half of 2006, where he fully came of age. Leading the attack against England and then the West Indies as Pakistan's main bowlers suffered injuries, Gul stood tall, finishing Pakistan's best bowler. An ankle injury stopped him from playing in South Africa but with Mohammad Sami fading, Gul has established himself, along with Asif, as the most promising quick in the land. In October he signed a one-year contract with Gloucestershire for the 2007 season.
Osman Samiuddin April 2007

Jun 27, 2008

Umar Gul receives the award for best Twenty20 bowler of the year © AFP

Jun 14, 2008

Umar Gul winds up to deliver the ball © AFP

Jun 14, 2008

Umar Gul nailed Praveen Kumar © AFP

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