Azhar Mahmood is a mentally tough allrounder and belligerent batsman, who began his career with three Test centuries against South Africa. In one-day cricket he invariably raises the tempo in the lower middle-order. He is strong off his legs and relishes short bowling. But he pushes at the ball too firmly in defence, and is particularly vulnerable against legspin. In a team of reverse-swingers he is the only English-type seamer, virtuous in his pursuit of line and length. He is a useful fielder and, close in, he rarely misses an opportunity to enquire about the batsman's health. During a one-month stint as a Surrey overseas player in 2002 he took 8 for 61 against Lancashire, then turned out for them for two seasons full-time as Pakistan's mercurial lost faith in him for reasons that have never quite been made clear. He signed with Surrey again for 2005, and later applied for British citizenship after marrying his British wife. He signed for Kent in late 2007. He extended his contract with Kent for two years, at the end of the 2011 season. His Twenty20 hitting also earned him a call-up to the Auckland squad as their overseas pro for the 2011-12 HRV Cup.
Will Luke and Cricinfo Staff November 2011