Azeem Rafiq

Azeem Rafiq (February 27 1991) is a Pakistani cricketer. A right arm off-spin bowler with a scholarship to Yorkshire, Azeem was also captain of the England Under-15s, and the first Yorkshire cricket player of an Asian background to captain any England cricket side at any level. His use of a successful doosra delivery against Michael Vaughan during a nets session at Headingley drew attention of England bowling coach David Parsons, and ear marked Azeem as a possible future England bowler. Azeem was also the recipient of a Sport England award in 2006.

Biography

Azeem attended Holgate School near his home of Barnsley, and played cricket for Barnsley Cricket Club. He was called up for the England Under-15s, which he captained, and currently plays for Yorkshire Cricket Club's academy team, where he was names as Junior Performer of the Year. At two One Day Internationals at Loughborough University against Scotland where England's spinners took 17 of the 20 wickets, Azeem took 1-5 and 2-14. Azeem has also had success as a right handed batsman, scoring 59 against Barbados U16 again while captaining the England U15s. The team coach, John Wake, stated:

Of Azeem's England prospects, David Parsons remarked that "he's a decent bowler for a 16-year-old and is generally quite an orthodox bowler....there's no doubt he's an exciting prospect and a genuine all-rounder - not one of these bowlers seeking to improve his batting." As well as from Parsons, Azeem has received coaching and advice from Saqlain Mushtaq, a former Pakistani spin bowler.

On 7th July 2008, the proposed Twenty-20 match between Yorkshire and Durham was postponed due to Yorkshire fielding Azeem Rafiq during a Twenty-20 game against Nottinghamshire in the previous round. The controversy surrounded the registering of Azeem Rafiq, who wasn't registered with the ECB as a full-time player for Yorkshire. As a result the ECB excluded Yorkshire from the 2008 competition and awarded the match points to Nottinghamshire, which would have meant they went through to the quarter final to play Durham. However at an appeal with the ECB, heard on Monday 14th July 2008, Yorkshire were handed a reduced punishment. The result of the match stood, but Yorkshire's 2 points earned were deducted. This meant that neither Nottighamshire nor Yorkshire went through, instead Glamorgan went through to the quarter finals.

Azeem was awarded the Yorkshire CCC Academy Player of the Year in 2008.