Second most runs in Tests and third in ODIs for Pakistan, most Test runs in a calendar year, most Test hundreds in a year, an outstanding average of 52.29, 24 centuries and four double-centuries in Tests. This is none other than Mohammad Yousuf, who has finally bidden adieu to the cricket world. He says he will now focus on coaching.

[caption id="attachment_1032" align="alignright" width="300"]A crucial chapter of Pakistan’s cricket history has been closed with the end of Yousuf’s career (Photo: AP) A crucial chapter of Pakistan’s cricket history has been closed with the end of Yousuf’s career (Photo: AP)[/caption]

Starting his career in 1998 as Yousuf Yohanna, he was capped 90 times in Tests for Pakistan and scored the third highest runs (7530) for his country in the longest format of the game. After gaining a respectable position in the national team, Yousuf converted to Islam in 2005 and it worked miracles for him.

In 2006, he performed so brilliantly that no other player had come close to it for decades. He scored 1788 runs in 11 Tests at 99.33, breaking the 30-year-old record of the great Sir Vivian Richards. He also scored nine Test hundreds which is the most by any player in a calendar year. The ICC gave Yousuf the Test Player of the Year award for the performance and Wisden included him in the top five players of the year. Pakistani government awarded him with Pride of Performance in 2011.

Yousuf, 38, was unfortunate to miss the milestones of making 10,000 ODI runs and playing 300 matches by very narrow margins. He scored 9,720 runs in the one-day format and represented Pakistan in 288 ODIs. He scored 15 ODI hundreds and is the second Pakistani batsman after Saeed Anwar to score most centuries. With 64 fifties under his belt, he also scored most number of ODI half-centuries after Inzamam-ul-Haq.

His career reached its nadir after the 2009-10 tour of Australia, and later conflict with the Pakistan cricket Board (PCB), lifetime ban and involvement in the Indian Cricket League.

Yousuf’s retirement is the end of an era, because there has been a dearth of players having such elegance and style.

We gave a detailed description of Yousuf’s career on his last birthday. Read and enjoy the complete story in Urdu ... here.

Players scoring most runs in a calendar year

































































































































































NameCountryYearMatchesInningsRunsBest scoreAverage100s50s4s6s
Mohammad Yousufپاکستان20061119178820299.339322212
Vivian Richardsویسٹ انڈیز19761119171029190.0075179+7
Graeme Smithجنوبی افریقہ20081525165623272.00662154
Sachin Tendulkarبھارت20101423156221478.107518110
Ricky Pontingآسٹریلیا20051528154420767.136617811
Ricky Pontingآسٹریلیا200311181503257100.20641807
Michael Vaughanانگلستان20021426148119761.706218611
Justin Langerآسٹریلیا20041427148121554.855417210
Virender Sehwagبھارت20081427146231956.233618122
Virender Sehwagبھارت20101425142217361.825821510
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