A compact, technically correct right-hand bat who plays very straight, Ali Naqvi's rise rise to international prominence was meteroic, making a Test century on debut after barely playing first-class cricket in his home country. He was selected for the Pakistan A tour of England in 1997 after fine performances for his team (House Building Finance Corporation) in domestic Grade-II competition. He had a successful tour, and on his return was selected for the PCB Board XI against the visiting South Africans, his first-class debut in Pakistan. He made a century and a 50 in this game, and was selected to play in the first Test at Rawalpindi at the age of 20, making 115. But in his next seven innings - two Tests at home to South Africa and two in Zimbabwe - he mustered 108 runs and was dropped.
Martin Williamson