Yasir Hameed

Yasir Hameed stamped his presence in international cricket with two Test centuries on debut - against Bangladesh at Karachi in August 2003 - becoming only the second player to achieve that feat. Frail of build, Yasir's game is built on timing and an easy elegance. A technique more solid than many recent top-order Pakistani batsmen served him well in his career early on. His exploits in the one-day arena were initially as impressive, and he forged a superb combination with Imran Farhat at the top of the order: against New Zealand at home the pair put together a record four consecutive hundred partnerships. The early signs were promising then, but he developed a worrying tendency to waste his starts, making pretty 20s and then throwing it away, often by flailing at wide ones outside off. That saw him lose his place in the team in late 2004. Selectorial inconsistencies didn't help, Hameed being dropped the next match after scoring two fifties in a Test at Syndey. Thereafter opportunities have been limited: a few ODIs here and there (in all of which he has made contributions) and no Tests since June 2005. Persistence at domestic level paid off, however, as he returned to the national squad against the West Indies in November 2006, made a couple of fifties in the ODI series and booked himself a seat to South Africa at the start of 2007. With Mohammad Yousuf missing there, opportunities will be present. Not part of Pakistan's squad for the World Cup, Hameed swiftly returned to occupy the vacant number three spot for the Abu Dhabi series in Younis' absence and his decent performance will surely cause discomfort in the selectors' minds.Cricinfo Staff (May 2007)