Arif Butt

{{Short description|Pakistani cricketer (1944–2007)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Arif Butt | image = | alt = | birth_date = {{birth date|1944|5|17|df=y}} | birth_place = Lahore, Punjab, British India | death_date = {{death date and age|2007|7|11|1944|5|17|df=y}} | death_place = Lahore, Pakistan | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm fast-medium | columns = 2 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 3 | runs1 = 59 | bat avg1 = 11.80 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 20 | deliveries1 = 666 | wickets1 = 14 | bowl avg1 = 20.57 | fivefor1 = 1 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 6/89 | catches/stumpings1= 0/– | column2 = First-class | matches2 = 97 | runs2 = 4,017 | bat avg2 = 29.10 | 100s/50s2 = 4/22 | top score2 = 180 | deliveries2 = 11,879 | wickets2 = 201 | bowl avg2 = 26.79 | fivefor2 = 10 | tenfor2 = 2 | best bowling2 = 8/45 | catches/stumpings2= 44/– | international = true | country = Pakistan | testdebutagainst = Australia | testdebutdate = 4 December | testdebutyear = 1964 | lasttestdate = 29 January | lasttestagainst = New Zealand | lasttestyear = 1965 | testcap = 47 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/39003.html Cricinfo | date = 23 May | year = 2023 }}

'''Arif Butt''' ({{langx|ur|عارف بٹ}}; 17 May 1944 – 11 July 2007) was a Pakistani Test cricketer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Arif Butt Profile - Cricket Player Pakistan {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/arif-butt-39003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517021240/https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/arif-butt-39003 |archive-date=2024-05-17 |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>

Born in Lahore, Punjab, Butt made his first-class debut for Lahore against Punjab University in 1960-61 at the age of 16. He learned his cricket at the Friends Cricket Club of Lahore, coached by his uncle Khawaja Abdur Rab, and went on to play first-class cricket for Pakistan Railways from 1962-63 until his retirement after the 1977-78 season. He was a tall fast-medium bowler and useful batsman.

He made his Test debut for Pakistan at Melbourne in 1964-65, taking 6 for 89 in the first innings, becoming the first Pakistani to take 6 wickets on Test debut.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/TESTS/BOWLING/TEST_BOWL_6WI_ON_DEBUT.html |title=Six wickets on Test debut |access-date=2007-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070401195952/http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/TESTS/BOWLING/TEST_BOWL_6WI_ON_DEBUT.html |archive-date=2007-04-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also opened the batting in the Pakistan's second innings, in place of injured wicket keeper Abdul Kadir, making 12 and defying the Australian new ball attack for almost an hour.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/27/27174.html Australia v Pakistan, Melbourne 1964-65]</ref>

In the tour of New Zealand that followed, Butt played in the first two of the three Tests, taking 7 wickets at 24.28. In what turned out to be his last Test innings, in partnership with Intikhab Alam, he added 52 runs for the ninth wicket to help secure a close-fought draw.

He bowled a hostile bouncer and a genuine leg cutter and was considered unlucky to play only three Tests as "many felt he should've played many more",<ref name=":0" /> at a time when Pakistan often struggled to find effective fast bowlers. He toured England in 1967 but "flopped completely",<ref>''Wisden'' 2008, p. 1548.</ref> taking 12 wickets at 54.50 in nine matches.

He was a handy lower-order batsman, demonstrated by a first-class career average of 29, four hundreds and over 4,000 runs.<ref name=":0" />

He scored a defiant maiden century against Karachi in the 1966–67 Quaid-i-Azam Trophy final and, in 1973-74, captained Railways to victory in the Patron's Trophy and the Quaid-e-Azam trophy. He took 6 for 55 against Sindh in the Quaid final and scored 718 runs in that season, including a career best 180 as an opening bat against Punjab. His best bowling figures were 8 for 45 for Railways against Sargodha in 1972-73.

He died from heart and lung complications arising from diabetes. His funeral in Lahore was attended by a host of former cricketers and officials including Sarfraz Nawaz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyindia.com/show/156586.php/Former-Pak-Test-cricketer-Arif-Butt-dead |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2007-07-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201926/http://www.dailyindia.com/show/156586.php/Former-Pak-Test-cricketer-Arif-Butt-dead |archivedate=2007-09-27 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=39003}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Arif}} Category:1944 births Category:2007 deaths Category:Pakistan Test cricketers Category:Cricketers who have taken five wickets on Test debut Category:Pakistani cricketers Category:Lahore cricketers Category:Lahore A cricketers Category:Pakistan Railways cricketers Category:Central Zone (Pakistan) cricketers Category:North Zone (Pakistan) cricketers