A cricketer from the pre-tracksuit era

For all the comic appearance of his Falstaffian exterior, he was a serious batsman. A rare few, at their peak, have an answer to every ball that is bowled at them: Allan Border was one, at least when England were bowling, Steve Waugh another, and Brian Lara. On England's last tour of Pakistan in 2005, Inzamam was the same, a barrier, a mountain preventing travellers reaching the plains.

Inzamam's Raiwind regime may have turned the Pakistan cricket team into a (seemingly) well-knit unit, but its many critics accused the captain of operating at the expense of ostracising talent that refused to bend to the religious dictates of his regime. Many also believe that Inzi's religious zeal actually softened the team's innovative and competitive nature, a nature that was rigorously nourished and encouraged by the likes of former captains like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram.