:Taj Malik

{{Short description|Afghan cricketer and coach (born 1975)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox cricketer

|name = Taj Malik

|image =

|country = Afghanistan

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|1|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Nangrahar, Afghanistan

|heightft =

|heightinch =

|batting = Right-handed

|bowling = Right-arm leg-break

|role = Batsman

|date = 8 April

|year = 2012

|source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanistan/content/player/25928.html Cricinfo

}}

Taj Malik ({{langx|ps|تاج ملک}}; born 1975) is an Afghan former cricketer and coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/tim-wigmore-taj-malik-the-man-who-gave-afghanistan-their-mojo-772985|title=The man who gave Afghanistan their mojo|website=ESPNcricinfo}} He was a right-handed batsman and leg break bowler who played for Afghanistan. He got interest in cricket at Kacha Gari camp during England's 1987 tour of Pakistan. He is credited as one of the most influential persons in Afghan cricket transitioning refugees from playing tape ball to hard ball and arranging match invites from Peshawar cricket clubs,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/twenty20/9160629/Afghanistan-cricketers-on-the-fast-track-to-Test-status-after-World-Twenty20-success-in-Dubai.html| title=Afghanistan cricketers on the fast-track to Test status after World Twenty20 success in Dubai | work=Telegraph Cricket | date=22 March 2012 |agency=The Daily Telegraph | accessdate=April 6, 2012 | author=Berry, Scyld| authorlink =Scyld Berry}} and was their first national coach.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/398765.html|title=Fifteen months across the world with Afghanistan|last=Knott|first=Leslie|date=April 8, 2009|work=Cricinfo|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=8 April 2012}} He was also chairman of the Afghanistan National Cricket Academy, leading its domestic competitions, and General Secretary of the Afghanistan Cricket Federation.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/130040.html|title=Afghanistan Cricket Federation Annual General Meeting|date=June 29, 2003|work=CricInfo|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=8 April 2012}}

He was featured in Out of the Ashes, a documentary of the Afghanistan national cricket team's qualification for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 tournament.