{{short description|Pakistani former cricketer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{other uses|Zulfiqar (disambiguation)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Zulfiqar Babar | country = Pakistan | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|12|10}} | birth_place = [[Okara, Pakistan|Okara]], [[Punjab, Pakistan]] | heightft = | heightinch = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = [[Slow left-arm orthodox]] | role = [[Bowler (cricket)|Bowler]] | international = true | internationalspan = 2013–2016 | testdebutdate = 14–17 October | testdebutyear = 2013 | testdebutagainst = South Africa | testcap = 215 | lasttestdate = Oct 30 - Nov 3 | lasttestyear = 2016 | lasttestagainst = West Indies | odidebutdate = 7 October | odidebutyear = 2014 | odidebutagainst = Australia | odicap = 198 | lastodidate = 22 April | lastodiyear = 2015 | lastodiagainst = Bangladesh | T20Idebutdate = 27 July | T20Idebutyear = 2013 | T20Idebutagainst = West Indies | T20Icap = 52 | T20Ishirt = 78 | lastT20Idate = 1 April | lastT20Iyear = 2014 | lastT20Iagainst = West Indies | club1 = [[Water and Power Development Authority]] | year1 = 2004–Present | club2 = [[Multan Tigers]] | year2 = 2005–2010 & 2013-2015 | club3 = [[Quetta Bears]] | year3 = 2011–2012 | club4 = [[Quetta Gladiators]] | year4 = 2016–2017 | clubnumber4 = 78 | club5 = [[Karachi Kings]] | year5 = 2018
| columns = 4 | column1 = [[Test cricket|Tests]] | matches1 = 15 | runs1 = 144 | bat avg1 = 16.00 | 100s/50s1 = 0/1 | top score1 = 56 | deliveries1 = 4,478 | wickets1 = 54 | bowl avg1 = 39.42 | fivefor1 = 2 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 5/74 | catches/stumpings1 = 4/- | column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]] | matches2 = 5 | runs2 = 35 | bat avg2 = 17.50 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 14[[not out|*]] | deliveries2 = 294 | wickets2 = 4 | bowl avg2 = 61.50 | fivefor2 = 0 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 2/52 | catches/stumpings2 = 0/- | column3 = [[First-class cricket|FC]] | matches3 = 101 | runs3 = 1,902 | bat avg3 = 16.53 | 100s/50s3 = 0/7 | top score3 = 89 | deliveries3 = 23,971 | wickets3 = 476 | bowl avg3 = 23.05 | fivefor3 = 31 | tenfor3 = 5 | best bowling3 = 10/143 | catches/stumpings3 = 40/– | column4 = [[List A cricket|LA]] | matches4 = 91 | runs4 = 628 | bat avg4 = 19.03 | 100s/50s4 = 0/1 | top score4 = 52 [[not out|*]] | deliveries4 = 4,784 | wickets4 = 114 | bowl avg4 = 31.08 | fivefor4 = 2 | tenfor4 = 0 | best bowling4 = 6/10 | catches/stumpings4 = 23/– | date = 21 March | year = 2018 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/43871.html ESPNcricinfo }} '''Zulfiqar Babar''' (born 10 December 1978) is a Pakistani former [[cricket]]er who played for the [[Pakistan national cricket team]] from 2013 to 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/43871.html |title=Zulfiqar Babar |work=[[Cricinfo]] |publisher=[[ESPN]] |access-date=18 November 2012 }}</ref>
==Domestic career==
Despite not breaking through to the national team earlier, Babar made sure his name was always in the reckoning by consistently being among the wickets in domestic cricket.
In the 2009/10 [[Quaid-i-Azam Trophy]], he took 69 wickets at 16.42. A national call-up come when he took 93 first-class wickets in 13 games in the 2012/13 season, at an average of 17.04.
He sealed his case when he took 6 for 22 in a practice game between Pakistan Chief Ministers XI and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman's XI in October 2013.
In the inaugural [[Pakistan Super League]] in [[2016 Pakistan Super League|2016]] he along with [[Grant Elliott|Grant Elliot]] set the highest 10th wicket partnership (63) in any form of T20.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/959207.html|title=17th Match: Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi at Sharjah, Feb 14, 2016 {{!}} Cricket Scorecard {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|work=Cricinfo|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/305252.html|title=Records {{!}} Twenty20 matches {{!}} Partnership records {{!}} Highest partnerships by wicket {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|work=Cricinfo|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref> He was the leading wicket-taker for Water and Power Development Authority in the [[2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy]], with thirty-one dismissals in six matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12568;team=3185;type=tournament |title=Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, 2018/19 - Water and Power Development Authority: Batting and bowling averages |access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref>
== International career ==
Babar made his T20I debut on 27 July 2013, against [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]], being one of the oldest Pakistani players to do so, aged 34 years 229 days.
Although Babar is Pakistan's second oldest T20 debutant after [[Inzamam-ul-Haq]], who was 36 years 178 days, he was unfazed. He says, "I always leave such matters in the hands of Allah. Perhaps, it was my destiny to be playing for Pakistan at a time when people would be seriously considering other options in life."
He picked up 3 for 23 and was the highest wicket-taker for his team in the game. He also scored an invaluable 13[[Not out|*]] off 17 balls, and hit a six off the last ball of the innings to guide his team to a 2-wicket victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-pakistan-2013/engine/current/match/645645.html|title=1st T20I: West Indies v Pakistan at Kingstown, Jul 27, 2013 - Cricket Scorecard - ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref> He also scored 11* off 6 balls in the next game and picked up 2 more wickets for 37.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-pakistan-2013/engine/current/match/645647.html|title=2nd T20I: West Indies v Pakistan at Kingstown, Jul 28, 2013 - Cricket Scorecard - ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref> He was the highest wicket-taker in the series and was named Man of the Series in his debut series.
Babar was named to the Test squad to play against [[South Africa cricket team|South Africa]] in [[UAE]] in October 2013. He was chosen ahead of the regular spin bowler [[Abdur Rehman|cricketer]] at [[Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium|Abu Dhabi]] Test.
He took 3 wickets of [[JP Duminy]], [[Faf du Plessis]] and [[Robin Peterson]] in the first innings and took wickets of [[Hashim Amla]] and [[Dale Steyn]] in the second Innings showing his spinning abilities helped Pakistan to win the match by seven wickets.
He was selected in Pakistan's World Cup squad for World T20 2014. Against the match vs Australia, he took the wickets of David Warner and Shane Watson in the 1st over thus "Piling the dead bodies of Australia". Pakistan managed to win that match by 16 runs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8604/report/682927/australia-vs-pakistan-16th-match-group-2-world-t20-2013-14|title=Recent Match Report - Australia vs Pakistan, ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 16th Match, Group 2 {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com|website=ESPNcricinfo|language=en|access-date=2019-02-19}}</ref>
He made his [[One Day International]] debut for Pakistan [[Australian cricket team against Pakistan in the UAE in 2014–15|against Australia]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]] on 7 October 2014.<ref name="ODI">{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/727919.html |title=Australia tour of United Arab Emirates, 1st ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Sharjah, Oct 7, 2014 |access-date=7 October 2014 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Babar hails from [[Okara, Pakistan|Okara]], a small town 85 miles away from [[Lahore]] and is the first from the town to play for Pakistan in 65 years.
Babar is the son of former Pakistani international footballer, Abdul Ghaffar, who played one game for Pakistan. Babar says his father never forced him to play soccer, knowing his son's passion for cricket. Babar has two grandsons with an interest in cricket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sugaltv.com/zulfiqar-babar-test-debut/|title=Zulfiqar Babar Test debut|date=15 October 2013|access-date=15 October 2013|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222730/http://www.sugaltv.com/zulfiqar-babar-test-debut/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{cricinfo|id=43871}}
{{Pakistan Squad 2014 World Twenty20}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Babar, Zulfiqar}} [[Category:Pakistani cricketers]] [[Category:Pakistan Test cricketers]] [[Category:Pakistan One Day International cricketers]] [[Category:Pakistan Twenty20 International cricketers]] [[Category:21st-century Pakistani sportsmen]] [[Category:Multan cricketers]] [[Category:Baluchistan cricketers]] [[Category:Punjab (Pakistan) cricketers]] [[Category:Water and Power Development Authority cricketers]] [[Category:Baluchistan Bears cricketers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1978 births]] [[Category:Cricketers who have taken ten wickets in an innings]] [[Category:Quetta Gladiators cricketers]] [[Category:Karachi Kings cricketers]] [[Category:Southern Punjab (Pakistan) cricketers]] [[Category:Cricketers from Okara, Pakistan]]