Pakistan's ice-cool stalwart
Inzamam-ul-Haqs prowess as a match-winner was highlighted in a cliffhanger of a Test in Karachi against Australia in 1994. Chasing 314, Pakistan was staring at defeat at 258 for 9. Inzamam was joined by Mushtaq Ahmed and the pair hung on for dear life. Ian Healy missed a stumping when three runs were needed and Pakistan scripted a thrilling one-wicket win. Inzamam, at No. 8, remained unbeaten on 58•Getty Images
With the series already lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka in 2000, Pakistan had only pride to play for and it was Inzamams 138 which helped his side earn a consolation win in Karachi. It wasnt the last time he made merry against the same opposition in the same venue•AFP
Dropped after a horrendous run in the World Cup in 2003, Inzamam was given a chance at redemption, against Bangladesh later that year. In front of his home crowd in Multan, Inzamam played the innings of his life, scripting yet another one-wicket heist with the tail. The last two wickets added 57 with him and Bangladesh were denied a historic away victory. The emotions of the preceding months got to Inzamam as he walked off the field in tears•Jewel Samad/AFP
Inzamam graced his 100th Test with a ton, making him one of the few players in Test history to do so. India were at the receiving end, in Bangalore in 2005, where he scored a massive 184. Another series-leveler had Inzamam as the leading protagonist•AFP
Controversies didnt escape Inzamam though. At The Oval in 2006, allegations of ball-tampering by umpire Darrell Hair prompted Inzamam to lead his team off the field, resulting in the first ever forfeiture in Test history•Getty Images
Recalled for the Tests at home against South Africa in October 2007, Inzamam announced that the final Test in Lahore would be his last. He was given a guard of honour by the South Africans.•AFP
Inzamam gave Australia another big scare, this time away from home, in Hobart in 1999. His 118 in the second innings gave Pakistan a realistic chance at a series-leveling win, before Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer stole their thunder and knocked off the target of 369•Jack Atley/Getty Images
Returning to England, now in 2001, Inzamam came to the party at Old Trafford with twin knocks of 114 and 85. Pakistan maintained their impressive record with a 108-run victory and the teams shared the series 1-1. Inzamam, walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award as well•Colleen Briggs/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Soon, Inzamam was handed the Test captaincy and success came early, with an away-series win in New Zealand a few months later in 2003-04•DEAN TREML/AFP
Against England in Faisalabad the same year, Inzamam compiled tons in both innings 109 and 100*. In the process, he went past Miandad's Pakistan record of 23 Test centuries•Getty Images
Pakistan and Inzamam refuse to back down after the umpires change the ball. Pakistan forfeit the Test amidst farcical scenes•Getty Images
He made 14 in the first innings and 3 in the second, stumped after charging down the track. He fell two short of Miandad's record of most Test runs by a Pakistan batsman. In 120 Tests, he scored 8830 runs at 49.60•AFP
With a Test double hundred in his CV, Inzamam went a step further with a triple hundred. At the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 2002, he flayed the hapless New Zealanders to finish with 329. The fact that he missed the then world record score of 365 didnt matter Pakistan thumped the visitors by an innings and 324 runs. Talk about psychological damage
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Inzamam played the leading role in yet another come-from-behind victory. He crossed three figures against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2004 for the second time in four years and helped Pakistan save face with a six-wicket win after losing the first Test. He also went past the 7000-run mark in Tests, only the second Pakistan batsman to achieve the feat after Javed Miandad•Aamir Qureshi/AFP
In the next Test in Lahore, he went past 8000 runs in Tests. Pakistan won the series 2-0 and he finished with 431 runs at 107.75•AFP
Now at the fag end of his career, Inzamam had time for one more masterpiece. His unbeaten 92 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in early 2007 laid the platform for another series-leveling victory. Importantly, the presence of tailenders didnt hinder his strokeplay as he snatched the initiative from the home side through sheer aggression•AFP
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