Mohammad Akram Hussain Khan ( bn, মোহাম্মদ আকরাম হুসেইন খান; born 1 November 1968) is a former Bangladeshi
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
er. A hard hitting middle order batsman, Akram played
first-class cricket
First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officiall ...
for
Chittagong Division
Chittagong Division, officially known as Chattogram Division, is geographically the largest of the eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It covers the south-easternmost areas of the country, with a total area of and a population at the 2 ...
. He is currently the chief selector of the
BCB, along with
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar ( bn, কাজী হাবিবুল বাশার; born 17 August 1972) is a retired Bangladeshi cricketer and the former captain of the Bangladesh cricket team. Under the managership of Dav Whatmore, he has been fo ...
and
Minhajul Abedin
Minhajul Abedin Nannu ( bn, মিনহাজুল আবেদিন নান্নু; born 25 September 1965) is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 27 One Day Internationals from 1986 to 1999. He captained Bangladesh twice duri ...
.
Akram Khan was part of Bangladesh's inaugural
Test match Test match in some sports refers to a sporting contest between national representative teams and may refer to:
* Test cricket
* Test match (indoor cricket)
* Test match (rugby union)
* Test match (rugby league)
* Test match (association football)
...
, in 2000–01 against India. He had been playing
One Day International
A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World C ...
cricket since 1988. He developed as an international player under the able guidance of
Gazi Ashraf
Gazi Ashraf Hossain ( bn, গাজী আশরাফ হোসেন; born 29 December 1960), also known as Lipu, is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who captained the Bangladesh national cricket team in its first seven One Day International (O ...
Lipu.
Early life
Akram Khan was born in the port city of
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
. His paternal ''
Khan'' family is a prestigious family in the city, migrated from
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
.
His brother is reputed footballer Iqbal Khan, making Akram the uncle of Bangladeshi cricketers
Nafees and
Tamim Iqbal
Tamim Iqbal Khan (Bengali: তামিম ইকবাল খান; born 20 March 1989), more popularly known as Tamim Iqbal, is a
Bangladeshi cricketer. He is the nephew of former Bangladesh skipper Akram Khan, the current chief selector of ...
.
International career
He was already well into his 30s when he played in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
's inaugural match. He finished his short Test career with a moderate average of 16.18. His highest, 44, came against
Zimbabwe cricket team
The Zimbabwe national cricket team, also known as the Chevrons, represents Zimbabwe in men's international cricket and is overseen by Zimbabwe Cricket (formerly known as the Zimbabwe Cricket Union). Zimbabwe has been a Full Member of the Int ...
at
Harare
Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...
in 2001.
He made his
One Day International
A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World C ...
debut in October 1988, in his hometown
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
. Batting at No. 8, he defied the strong Pak bowling attack scoring 21* of 35 deliveries. He captained
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
in the
Asia Cup at
Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital o ...
in 1995. He was the team's most consistent performer scoring 24, 24 & 44 against
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Sri-Lanka and
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
respectively. His first
ODI 50 came against
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
at
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
in 1997. There he shared a 110 run partnership with
Athar Ali Khan
Athar Ali Khan ( bn, আতহার আলী খান; born 10 February 1962) is a Bangladeshi cricket commentator and former cricketer. Throughout the 1980s, Athar played as a middle order batsman, batting mostly at No. 4 or 5.
Later on, en ...
. His highest
ODI score of 65, came at
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
against
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
in 1999. He followed this with 50* against
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
. He played in two WCs, in 1999 & in 2003. He played a large part in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
's upset win in 1999 World Cup over
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
with an innings of 42.
His most memorable moment came in the 1997
ICC Trophy
The ICC World Cup Qualifier (previously called the ICC Trophy and officially known as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier) is a One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that serves as the culmination of the Cricket World Cup qualifi ...
, as he lifted the cup for his side. He contributed a quickfire 22 off 27 balls, including a six and a four, in the final. Earlier, he had played a captain's knock in the do-or-die game against the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. His 68* helped
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
win by 3 wicket.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
were struggling at 15/4, chasing a small total, after the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
fast bowler Lefebre demolished the top order. Then Akram Khan changed the course of the match with two half-century partnerships with the veteran
Minhajul Abedin
Minhajul Abedin Nannu ( bn, মিনহাজুল আবেদিন নান্নু; born 25 September 1965) is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 27 One Day Internationals from 1986 to 1999. He captained Bangladesh twice duri ...
and the medium-pacer
Saiful Islam. Overall, he finished the tournament with 185 runs at an average of 37.00. His effort against the Dutch is not his only match winning innings in
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, its members are List of International Cricket Council members, 108 national associations, with 12 List of Internation ...
Trophy history. In 1994, batting at No. 7, he scored 64* against USA, taking his team from 36/5 to 147/7, winning the match by 3 wickets. And in 1990, he took
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
to a vital 3 wicket win against
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
with a knock of 42*. Overall, in 24 matches in 3
ICC Trophy
The ICC World Cup Qualifier (previously called the ICC Trophy and officially known as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier) is a One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that serves as the culmination of the Cricket World Cup qualifi ...
tournaments, he scored 476 runs at an average of 36.61. Also, bowling his gentle medium pacers, he took 10 wickets with an impressive average of 18.7.
International captaincy
He took the captaincy of the national side at a difficult time during the 1994–95 season. Following the disappointment of the 1994
ICC Trophy
The ICC World Cup Qualifier (previously called the ICC Trophy and officially known as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier) is a One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that serves as the culmination of the Cricket World Cup qualifi ...
in
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
, there was dissatisfaction and disunity among the players. Akram, who was an established member of the side was selected to lead the side. This seemed slightly risky, as the
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
batsman had little previous experience as captain. But, he performed admirably, leading his side to some memorable successes.
In December, 1994, he led his side to the final of
1994–95 SAARC Quadrangular
The 2nd SAARC cricket tournament was the second edition of the tournament. It held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in December 1994. Teams from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka participated in the tournament. Bangladesh, still an associate member ...
cricket tournament in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
. He batted bravely in the final, top-scoring with 66(before falling to leg spin of
Sairaj Bahutule
Sairaj Bahutule (born 6 January 1973, Bombay, Maharashtra, India) is a former Indian cricketer. He is an allrounder who specializes in leg spin bowling. He played domestic cricket for Mumbai and later on with Vidarbha.
Playing career
Stand ...
). But his side lost by 52 runs to India 'A', led by
Praveen Amre. In 1996, he led
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
to victory in the South East Asian Cricket. It was followed by a bigger triumph in
ICC Trophy
The ICC World Cup Qualifier (previously called the ICC Trophy and officially known as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier) is a One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that serves as the culmination of the Cricket World Cup qualifi ...
(1997) in KL. He also led
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
to their first ever
ODI win. After
Mohammad Rafique &
Athar Ali Khan
Athar Ali Khan ( bn, আতহার আলী খান; born 10 February 1962) is a Bangladeshi cricket commentator and former cricketer. Throughout the 1980s, Athar played as a middle order batsman, batting mostly at No. 4 or 5.
Later on, en ...
posted a century opening stand, Akram's quickfire 39 (from just 51 deliveries) took Bangladesh to 237/4, winning by 6 wickets against
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
.
Cricinfo scorecard: Bangladesh v Kenya 17 May 1998 (Retrieved on 2008-07-27) He is the first ODI win captain in Bangladesh.
Relatives
His family has produced a number of other cricketers. In recent times, his nephews Nafees Iqbal
Mohammad Nafees Iqbal Khan ( bn, মোহাম্মদ নাফিস ইকবাল খান; born 31 January 1985), better known as Nafees Iqbal, is a former Bangladeshi international cricketer. He played as a right-handed opening batsman ...
and Tamim Iqbal
Tamim Iqbal Khan (Bengali: তামিম ইকবাল খান; born 20 March 1989), more popularly known as Tamim Iqbal, is a
Bangladeshi cricketer. He is the nephew of former Bangladesh skipper Akram Khan, the current chief selector of ...
have worn national colors. Both of them are opening bats. While right-handed Nafees Iqbal has lost his form after some initial successes, his younger brother, left-handed Tamim, became the most successful run-scorer for Bangladesh.
References
External links
*
'I found international cricket easier than domestic matches'
by Mohammad Isam at Cricinfo
ESPN cricinfo (formerly known as Cricinfo or CricInfo) is a sports news website exclusively for the game of cricket. The site features news, articles, live coverage of cricket matches (including liveblogs and scorecards), and ''StatsGuru'', a d ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Akram
1968 births
Living people
Bangladesh Test cricketers
Bangladesh One Day International cricketers
Bangladeshi cricket captains
Bangladeshi cricketers
20th-century Bangladeshi cricketers
21st-century Bangladeshi cricketers
Chittagong Division cricketers
Cricketers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
Cricketers at the 1999 Cricket World Cup
Cricketers at the 2003 Cricket World Cup
People from Chittagong
Bangladeshi cricket coaches
Abahani Limited cricketers
Recipients of the Bangladesh National Sports Award
Commonwealth Games competitors for Bangladesh
Khan cricketing family
Bangladeshi Sunni Muslims
Bangladeshi people of Bihari descent
21st-century Muslims