Asif Masood

{{Short description|Pakistani cricketer (born 1946)}}

{{BLP sources|date=July 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Use Pakistani English|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Asif Masood
آصف مسعود

| image =

| fullname = Syed Asif Masood Shah

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|23 January 1946}}

| birth_place = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

| country = Pakistan

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast

| international = true

| internationalspan = 1969-1977

| testdebutdate = 21 February

| testdebutyear = 1969

| testdebutagainst = England

| testcap = 57

| lasttestdate = 1 January

| lasttestyear = 1977

| lasttestagainst = Australia

| odidebutdate = 11 February

| odidebutyear = 1973

| odidebutagainst = New Zealand

| odicap = 2

| lastodidate = 16 October

| lastodiyear = 1976

| lastodiagainst = New Zealand

| columns = 2

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 16

| runs1 = 93

| bat avg1 = 10.33

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 30*

| deliveries1 = 3,038

| wickets1 = 38

| bowl avg1 = 41.26

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 5/111

| catches/stumpings1 = 5/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 7

| runs2 = 10

| bat avg2 = 5.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 6

| deliveries2 = 402

| wickets2 = 5

| bowl avg2 = 46.79

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 2/9

| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–

| date = 4 February

| year = 2017

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/39012.html ESPNCricinfo

}}

Syed Asif Masood Shah ({{langx|ur|آصف مسعود شاہ}}; born 23 January 1946) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 16 Test matches and 7 One Day Internationals from 1969 to 1977.{{Cite web |title=Asif Masood |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/39012.html |access-date=2020-07-13 |website=ESPcricinfo}} He was educated at Islamia College Lahore.

His best Test was against England at Birmingham in 1971, when he took 5 for 111 and 4 for 49.{{Cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Pakistan vs England 1st Test 1971 |language=en |work=ESPNcricinfo |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17257/scorecard/63073/england-vs-pakistan-1st-test-pakistan-tour-of-england-1971 |access-date=2020-07-13}} This performance led to his selection for the Rest of the World team in Australia in 1971–72.

He would begin his run-up with a backward step before a loping approach to the wicket which John Arlott likened to "Groucho Marx chasing a pretty waitress".{{Cite news |author=Ikram Bari Cheema|date=2014-11-11 |title=A history of cricket in Pakistan |language=en |work=The Express Tribune|location=Karachi |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/789426/a-history-of-cricket-in-pakistan |access-date=2020-07-13}}

Retiring from cricket in 1977, after marrying in the UK, Asif Masood became a successful businessman, owning first a travel agency then a post office in Bury, Lancashire.{{Cite news |date=22 May 1997 |title=Stamps not stumps |language=en |work=Lancashire Telegraph |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6179736.stamps-not-stumps/ |access-date=2020-07-13}} He currently resides in Bury with his wife and four children.