Who is Kamran Ghulam? 5 interesting facts about Babar Azam's replacement for 2nd PAK vs ENG Test 2024
Kamran Ghulam, a 29-year-old right-handed batter from Pakistan, is all set to make his Test debut. He has an impressive record in first-class cricket, having played 59 matches and amassed 4,377 runs at an average of 49.17, including 16 centuries and 20 half-centuries.
He was born in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on October 10, 1995, and is a slow left-arm orthodox spinner as well.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced an updated squad for the second and third Tests against England, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Sarfaraz Ahmed being omitted. They revealed their playing XI for the second Test match, set to start on October 15 in Multan.
The team has made four changes from the lineup that suffered an embarrassing innings defeat in the first Test, with Kamran Ghulam being one of the new inclusions. He is set to replace Babar Azam, who is among the big names dropped.
As Kamran Ghulam is all set for what seems to be a much-deserving Test debut, here are five interesting facts about the 29-year-old.
5 interesting facts about Babar Azam's replacement for 2nd PAK vs ENG Test 2024
#5 Kamran Ghulam made his domestic debut back in 2013
Kamran Ghulam made his domestic debut at the age of 17 in 2013 for Abbottabad. He also made his List A debut the same year in the Faysal Bank One Day Cup, where he took two match-winning wickets in his first match for Abbottabad Falcons against Peshawar Panthers.
Later in the same year, Ghulam also went on to make his first-class debut for Abbottabad in Karachi.
#4 Standout performer in the 2014 U19 World Cup
In 2014, Kamran Ghulam toured the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as he was included in Pakistan's U-19 team for the 2014 U-19 World Cup.
Ghulam was part of Pakistan's squad for the 2014 ICC U19 World Cup, contributing both with the bat and the ball. He scored 100 runs and claimed three wickets in six matches, playing a key role as Pakistan reached the final, where they narrowly missed out on the title, losing to South Africa.
#3 Record-breaking Qaid-e-Azam Trophy season
Ghulam achieved a historic milestone during the 2020-21 Qaid-e-Azam Trophy season. He had a fabulous run, becoming the first cricketer to score over 1,000 runs in a single season of Pakistan's premier domestic competition. This feat established his status as one of the country's most consistent performers in first-class cricket and earned him recognition.
#2 Three-time PSL champion
Kamran Ghulam has certainly made waves in domestic cricket. However, he has also had a glorious career in the shorter format. Kamran Ghulam has tasted success in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with two different teams on three different occasions. He won his first PSL title with Islamabad United in 2016. Later, he was part of the victorious Lahore Qalandars squad that won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 under the leadership of Shaheen Afridi.
#1 Unconventional ODI debut
In January 2023, Ghulam made his ODI debut for Pakistan against New Zealand. Interestingly though, it was far from a typical debut. He came in as a concussion substitute for Haris Sohail during the second half of the game. As a result, he did not get the opportunity to bat or bowl in the game. This remains his only ODI as well as international appearance ahead of his Test debut.