An offspinner with a bowling action very similar to Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahmood was one of the star performers for Pakistan in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, where he finished the second-highest wicket-taker for his country (18 wickets) and third-highest overall. He took 3 for 34 in the final against West Indies which Pakistan won. However, he slipped off the radar two years later when his bowling action was reported. He was then sent to the National Cricket Academy with 14 other bowlers for remedial work. After being cleared, opportunities were limited in Sialkot and Mahmood spent the bulk of his time playing club cricket. His luck changed in 2009 when Khan Research Laboratories sought his services after their regular spinner Saeed Ajmal transferred to ZTBL.
Cricinfo Staff October 2009