Ajmal Shahzad Biography

Full Name : Ajmal Shahzad 

Date of Birth : 27th July 1985

Place of Birth : Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England 

Nick Name : Ajy 

Height : 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 

Batting Style : Right-Handed 

Bowling Style : Right-Arm Fast-Medium 

Role : Bowler 

Only Test (cap 650) : 4th June 2010 v Bangladesh 

ODI debut (cap 216) : 5th March 2010 v Bangladesh 

ODI Shirt No. : 13 

Ajmal Shahzad (born 27 July 1985) is an English cricketer who plays for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, he made his international debut in a Twenty20 International for England in February 2010.  Ajmal Shahzad  later made his ODI debut before becoming the 650th player to play Test cricket for England, making his debut against Bangladesh.

Back Ground

Shahzad was born in a family of Pakistani background; his father migrated from Gujar Khan, Punjab.Ajmal Shahzad father was an accountant by profession who himself represented Idle and played in Pakistan's Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.Shahzad grew up in Bradford and attended Bradford Grammar School and later Woodhouse Grove School; he lived close to the house of fellow cricketer Adil Rashid.   Ajmal Shahzad  studied four months of pharmacy at Bradford University before eventually opting to move to Leeds Metropolitan and instead doing sports science to enhance his career in cricket.

Domestic Career

In 2004, he became the first Yorkshire-born player of Asian extraction to play for Yorkshire.

In his only first-class appearance in 2006, he failed to take a wicket, and scored just two runs.Ajmal Shahzad  enjoyed more success in the shorter formats of the game, claiming five wickets and 18 runs in four List A matches for his native county, and in his sole Twenty20 appearance, he took 2 wickets.

In 2009, Shahzad enjoyed an injury free and successful season, taking 40 wickets and scoring 445 runs in the late middle order, raising hopes that he may yet exhibit genuine all-rounder potential. Ajmal Shahzad  performances gained him a call up to the England performance squad in South Africa squad, where he impressed coach Andy Flower.

International Career

In January 2010, he was named in the Test and ODI squads for the England tour of Bangladesh.On his debut for England in a Twenty20 International against Pakistan, he claimed two wickets, both in his first over.Ajmal Shahzad later made his ODI début against Bangladesh, again taking a wicket in his first over. When Bangladesh later toured England, he made his Test début in the second Test, replacing the injured Tim Bresnan. After only scoring 5 runs in England's innings and an expensive start with the ball, he later took 3 wickets in 3 overs in his second spell as Bangladesh missed the follow-on target.

Shahzad was subsequently selected for the Ashes 2010-11 squad, but did not featured in any of the matches.   Ajmal Shahzad was also chosen for the Twenty20 and ODI squads which toured Australia. Ajmal Shahzad  was in the 15 man squad for the 2011 ICC World Cup; in a match against India, he scored a six off the first ball he faced during the last over of the match which helped secure a tie. Ajmal Shahzad  was later forced to withdraw from the squad with injury and upon his return for Yorkshire, he struggled for form and was left out of the England Test and One-Day squads to face Sri Lanka.