Full Name : Hashim Mahomed Amla
Date of Birth : Born 31st March 1983
Place of Birth : Durban, Natal Province, South Africa
Nick Name : Hash, The Mighty Beard
Height : 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Batting Style : Right-Handed
Bowling Style : Right–Arm Medium
Role : Batsman
Test Debut (cap 295) : 28th November 2004 v India
ODI Debut (cap 90) : 9th March 2008 v Bangladesh
Hashim Mahomed Amla (born 31 March 1983) is a South African cricketer. A right-handed upper order batsman and occasional medium-pace bowler, Amla bats at number 3 for South Africa in Test matches and has opened in limited overs contests. Hashim Amla is currently ranked by the International Cricket Council as the world's top batsman in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Early Years
Upon graduating from Durban High School and impressing in the youth circuit, Amla made his debut for his provincial team, the KwaZulu Natal Dolphins, soon captaining South Africa at the 2002 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, leading his team to the final. During his formative years, former Western Province captain and coach Hylton Ackerman had been influential in Amla's development, first spotting his talent and honing his skills during his coaching career. Hashim Amla promise led him to being appointed captain of Kwazulu-Natal at the young age of 21. Amla is a devout practicing muslim Amla has been cited as a future captain of South Africa ever since his first class years.
International Career
Upon being appointed captain of the Dolphins, Amla began the 2004-05 South African domestic season by scoring four centuries during his first eight innings. Hashim Amla success at the domestic level and consistent performances for the South Africa A squad led to him being chosen for the winter 2004 tour of India at the age of 21, thereby becoming the first South African of Indian descent to represent South Africa in international cricket.Making his debut in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 28 November 2004, he initially made a slow start to his career, with his technique having been criticized after scoring 36 runs in the 2004 series against England. After honing his technique and working on his skills with the Dolphins, for whom he regularly top-scored in the South African domestic circuit, he proved his critics wrong in 2006 as he scored a comeback 149 against New Zealand at Newlands, Cape Town, helping guide South Africa to a match-saving draw. Hashim Amla subsequently continued this success, earning a national contract and scoring 1599 runs at an average of 57.10 in his next 19 Tests, solidifying his position as South Africa's number 3 batsman.
On 27 March 2008, he scored an unbeaten 159 against India in Chennai amidst searing conditions. Hashim Amla success throughout the 2008 year, in which he scored 1012 runs, consisted of numerous centuries and solid performances against India, England and Australia. During South Africa's 2009 tour of Australia, Amla helped South Africa win a historic Test and one day series victory over Australia, scoring 259 runs at an average of 51.80 during the Tests and contributing crucial scores in the one day series, including a match-winning 80 in the series clincher.
In April 2009, Amla was signed by Essex as their overseas player for a portion of the 2009 English county season, as a short-term replacement for Danish Kaneria. During his stay at the club, he scored two centuries in two Championship matches, including a match-saving 181 on his debut, the highest score by an Essex debutant, as well as 111 runs off 107 in his first Pro40 match, against Sussex. Essex fans had warmed to him throughout his stay, affectionately calling him "W.G" in reference to W.G. Grace.
During England's 2009-10 tour of South Africa, Amla was an integral member of the side throughout the series, scoring a crucial century in the first Test at Centurion and contributing important innings during the rest of the series. Hashim Amla performances also saw him move up the ICC Test Batting rankings.
Top form (2010) Amla started 2010 in February against India in a two-match test series against India in India. In the first test he scored 253* as South Africa reached 558. After this a superb bowling performance from Dale Steyn meant that India were bowled out for 233 with Steyn bagging seven wickets. India forced to follow-on were bowled out for 319 as South Africa won by an innings and six runs. In the second test match Amla made 114 before being caught by MS Dhoni despite Amla's century the remaining South African batting order could only manage 296. India batted and scored 643 with centuries from Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman. The South African chase collapsed poorly but Amla still managed another century scoring 123* as South Africa were bowled out for 290 and crashed to an innings defeat. After this Amla toured the West Indies for 5 ODIs and three test matches. Amla top scored in the first ODI with 102 as South Africa coasted to a comfortable victory. Hashim Amla followed this up with 92 in the second ODI as South Africa against sealed 17 run victory, in the third ODI Amla scored 30, but in the fourth ODI he returned with a century in scoring 129 of 115 balls. Hashim Amla made 45 in the fifth and final ODI before he was run-out by Kieron Pollard as South Africa won narrowly by one wicket.
The three match test series was one where Amla performed consistently but didn't register any centuries, he top scored with 44. The first test was a poor one for Amla scoring 2 and 5 as South Africa still won comfortably. In the following test he scored 44 and 41 as the match was drawn, he scored 5 and 25 in the final test match as South Africa won by seven wickets.
In the three match ODI series against Zimbabwe Amla scored 110 as South Africa gave Zimbabwe 351 to win and South Africa won the match by 64 runs. The second ODI saw Amla score 110 as South Africa cruised to an 8 wicket victory and sealed the three match series with one game to spare. Amla had a quiet final ODI scoring 24 as South Africa won by 264 runs.
Amla went into a five-match ODI series against Pakistan on the back of good form and in the first ODI managed 35 as South Africa won by 8 wickets. Amla scored a quickfire half century in the second ODI before being given leg-before to a Shahid Afridi leg-break, despite this good knock from Amla and 286 from South Africa the couldn't win the match courtesy of a superb century by Abdul Razzaq scoring 109 of just 73 balls. In the third ODI Amla scored 119* as the rest of the South African order collapsed around him and the team only managed 228, however South Africa won the match by just two runs courtesy of some superb death bowling yorkers from Rusty Theron.
Following these excellent performances in the ODI format Amla was selected in the 12-man Twenty20 squad against India, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, he was selected in place of opener Loots Bosman, the most significant thing about the match before it started or ended was that it was the final match of Makhaya Ntini
Dean Jones Controversy
During a Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka on August 7, 2006, Ten Sports commentator Dean Jones referred to Amla as a "terrorist" after he had taken a catch; after incorrectly assuming that broadcasters had switched to a commercial break, he had said "The terrorist gets another wicket".The broadcast was aired around the world, including South Africa, and he was subsequently widely condemned by South African fans, players and several former cricketers and commentators, leading to the channel terminating its contract with Jones.After the incident Jones reportedly apologized to Amla, stating that his comments were never "supposed to be heard over the air", which he accepted.
Personal life
Amla at fielding practice, Adelaide Oval, January 2009Born to a South African Muslim family, Amla's grandparents are originally from Surat, Gujarat, having emigrated to South Africa numerous years earlier. Amla is spiritually inspired by Moulana Yunus Patel, a South African Islamic Scholar of repute and a Sufism practitioner. Hashim Amla elder brother, Ahmed, is also a professional cricketer, having made his debut two years earlier, and currently captains the Dolphins. Upon his Test debut, he successfully requested that alcohol-promoting logos not be shown on his merchandise and playing gear.
International Centuries
Test Cricket Centuries
In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career
# Test Cricket Centuries of Hashim Amla Runs Match Against City/Country Venue Year
1 149 4 New Zealand Cape Town, South Africa Newlands Cricket Ground 2006
2 176* 16 New Zealand Johannesburg, South Africa Wanderers Stadium 2007
3 103 17 New Zealand Centurion, South Africa SuperSport Park 2007
4 159 23 India Chennai, India MA Chidambaram Stadium 2008
5 104* 26 England London, England Lord's Cricket Ground 2008
6 112 30 Bangladesh Bloemfontein, South Africa Springbok Park 2008
7 100 38 England Centurion, South Africa SuperSport Park 2009
8 253* 44 India Nagpur, India VCA Stadium 2010
9 114 45 India Kolkata, India Eden Gardens 2010
10 123*
11 118* 47 Pakistan Dubai, United Arab Emirates Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2010
12 140 48 India Centurion, South Africa SuperSport Park 2010
13 112 52 Australia Cape Town, South Africa Newlands Cricket Ground 2011
14 105 53 Australia Johannesburg, South Africa Wanderers Stadium 2011
Man of the Match Awards in Test Cricket
# Against Venue or Field Season / Yr. Contribution in Match
1. Pakistan Centurion, South Africa 2007 71 & 64*
2. India Nagpur, India 2010 253*
3. India Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India 2010 114 & 123*
ODI Cricket Centuries
In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career
One-Day International Centuries of Hashim Amla
# Runs Match Against City/Country Venue Year
1 140 4 Bangladesh Benoni, South Africa Willowmoore Park 2008
2 102 16 West Indies North Sound, Antigua Sir Viv Richards Stadium 2010
3 129 17 West Indies Roseau, Dominica Windsor Park 2010
4 110 29 Zimbabwe Bloemfontein, South Africa Springbok Park 2010
5 110 30 Zimbabwe Potchefstroom, South Africa Senwes Park 2010
6 119* 35 Pakistan Dubai, United Arab Emirates Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2010
7 116* 42 India Centurion, South Africa SuperSport Park 2011
8 113 44 Netherlands Mohali, Chandigarh, India PCA Stadium 2011
9 112 53 Sri Lanka Paarl, South Africa Boland Bank Park 2012
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