Virender Sehwag, the former Indian opening batsman, brought about a significant transformation in the art of batting with his fearless approach and aggressive strokeplay. Recently, he has recognized the finest middle-order batsman from Asia.
It is worth noting that in the 1990-2000s, several remarkable batsmen from subcontinental nations captivated cricket enthusiasts worldwide with their exceptional abilities and accomplishments.
During this era, iconic players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sourav Ganguly, Saeed Anwar, Kumar Sangakkara, and a few others dominated the cricketing landscape, establishing themselves as legends of the game.
They exhibited flawless technique and remarkable consistency, accumulating runs with elegance and precision, which earned them widespread admiration as some of the most revered batsmen of their time.
Sehwag, who had the privilege of playing alongside legendary batsmen, expressed high praise for former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, considering him the finest middle-order batsman in all of Asia.
While acknowledging Sachin Tendulkar’s widespread acclaim as one of the greatest batsmen of all time, Sehwag suggested that when evaluating the most exceptional middle-order batsmen in Asia, he had never witnessed anyone superior to Inzamam.
During an episode of the show “Breakfast with Champions,” Sehwag stated, “Everyone talks about Sachin Tendulkar, but Inzamam-ul-Haq is Asia’s premier middle-order batsman. Tendulkar was in a league of his own, so he doesn’t factor into this assessment. But when it comes to the most superior middle-order batsman across India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, I have never seen anyone better than him.”
Sehwag further elaborated on Inzamam’s qualities, mentioning a specific era around 2003-04 when Inzamam would confidently speak about achieving a run rate of 8 per over. Sehwag said, “He would say, ‘don’t worry, we’ll score easily.’ When there were 80 runs required in 10 overs, other players might panic, but he always remained confident.”
“The best middle order batsman I have seen is Inzamam ul Haq.”
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) June 4, 2023
~ Virender Sehwagpic.twitter.com/CPf6EdO5Jx
Inzamam-ul-Haq had a remarkable career representing Pakistan, featuring in 120 Test matches from 1992 to 2007. During this period, he amassed 8,830 runs with an impressive average of 49.60. Inzamam’s batting prowess included 25 centuries and 46 half-centuries in the longest format of the game.
In the One Day Internationals (ODIs), the Pakistani legend appeared in 378 matches, where he scored 11,739 runs at an average of 39.53. His ODI record comprised 10 centuries and 83 half-centuries, showcasing his consistency and impact in limited-overs cricket.
