Imran Niazi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Imran Niazi

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|17}}

| birth_place = Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2003–2004

| clubs1 = Afghan Chaman

| caps1 = 16

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2004–2014

| clubs2 = WAPDA

| caps2 = 238

| goals2 = 35

| totalcaps = 254

| totalgoals = 35

| nationalyears1 = 2003

| nationalteam1 = Pakistan U20

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2004–2007

| nationalteam2 = Pakistan U23

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalyears3 = 2005–2011

| nationalteam3 = Pakistan

| nationalcaps3 = 18

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|PAK}}}}

}}

Imran Niazi (born November 17, 1986) is a Pakistani former footballer who played as a midfielder.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Imran Niazi (Player) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/12925/Imran_Niazi.html |access-date= |website=www.national-football-teams.com |language=en}}

Club career

= Afghan Chaman =

Niazi began his career in 2003 at Afghan FC Chaman.

= WAPDA =

After the conclusion of re-branded Pakistan Premier League, he joined five-time national champions WAPDA. Niazi won three Pakistan Premier League titles with WAPDA, in 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2010–11.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/paki07.html |title=Pakistan 2007/08 (National Tournaments) |last=Hai Naveed |first=Malik Riaz |date=July 31, 2008 |website=RSSSF |access-date=January 3, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/paki08.html |title=Pakistan 2008/09 (National Tournaments) |last=Hai Naveed |first=Malik Riaz |date=July 16, 2009 |website=RSSSF |access-date=January 3, 2019}} He also played at the AFC President Cup with the club.

International career

In 2003, Niazi was first called by the Pakistan under-20 national team at the 2004 AFC Youth Championship qualification.{{Cite web |date=2003-09-03 |title=Fifty invited for Under-20 camp |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/113596/fifty-invited-for-under-20-camp |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

Niazi was first called up to the Pakistan under-23 national team for the 2004 South Asian Games, where he helped Pakistan win the gold medal.{{Cite web |title=9th South Asian Federation Games 2004 (Pakistan) |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/safg01.html |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=www.rsssf.org}}

He made his senior international debut in the 2005 SAFF Championship against Bangladesh.

In 2007, Niazi was also present with the Pakistan under-23 team at the Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics Qualifiers where his side beat Singapore in a home and away series to qualify for the second round.{{Cite web |date=2007-02-10 |title=Win against Singapore a memorable one, says captain |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/232265/win-against-singapore-a-memorable-one-says-captain |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

In 2008, Niazi was named the Pakistan national team vice-captain for the 2008 SAFF Championship with Zahid Hameed as captain.{{Cite web |date=2008-05-27 |title=Pakistan to include four overseas players for SAFF championship |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/304732/pakistan-to-include-four-overseas-players-for-saff-championship |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}} He was also vice-captain in a friendly against Malaysia at the end of the year, under Muhammad Essa's captaincy.{{Cite web |date=2008-10-08 |title=Pakistan football squad off to Malaysia |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/324392/pakistan-football-squad-off-to-malaysia |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

After last playing against India at the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification, he was dropped from the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification against Bangladesh.

Career statistics

= International =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by year and competition !National team !Year !Apps !Goals
rowspan="5" \|Pakistan \|2005 \|6 \|0
2006 \|3 \|0
2007 \|2 \|0
2008 \|6 \|0
2011 \|1 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !18 !0

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Appearances and goals by year and competition

!National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="5" |Pakistan

|2005

2006

2007

2008

2011