Saleem Elahi

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Saleem Elahi

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|11|21|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan

| fullname = Saleem Elahi

| country = Pakistan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm off-break

| role = Batsman,
Occasional wicket-keeper

| international = true

| internationalspan= 1995–2004

| testdebutdate = 9 November

| testdebutyear = 1995

| testdebutagainst = Australia

| testcap = 136

| lasttestdate = 2 January

| lasttestyear = 2003

| lasttestagainst = South Africa

| odidebutdate = 29 September

| odidebutyear = 1995

| odidebutagainst = Sri Lanka

| odicap = 102

| lastodidate = 14 January

| lastodiyear = 2004

| lastodiagainst = New Zealand

| odishirt = 28

| family = Manzoor Elahi (brother),
Zahoor Elahi (brother),
Babar Manzoor (nephew)

| club1 = Lahore City

| year1 = 1994–1999

| club2 = United Bank Ltd

| year2 = 1996–1997

| club3 = Habib Bank Ltd

| year3 = 1997–2011

| club4 = Lahore Whites

| year4 = 2001

| club5 = Lahore Blues

| year5 = 2002

| club6 = Lahore

| year6 = 2004

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 13

| runs1 = 436

| bat avg1 = 18.95

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 72

| deliveries1 = –

| wickets1 = –

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = –

| catches/stumpings1= 10/1

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 48

| runs2 = 1,579

| bat avg2 = 36.72

| 100s/50s2 = 4/9

| top score2 = 135

| deliveries2 = 6

| wickets2 = 0

| bowl avg2 = –

| fivefor2 = –

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = –

| catches/stumpings2= 10/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 111

| runs3 = 5,508

| bat avg3 = 32.02

| 100s/50s3 = 8/26

| top score3 = 229

| deliveries3 = 42

| wickets3 = 0

| bowl avg3 = –

| fivefor3 = –

| tenfor3 = –

| best bowling3 = –

| catches/stumpings3= 74/1

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 141

| runs4 = 6,277

| bat avg4 = 52.30

| 100s/50s4 = 18/37

| top score4 = 172

| deliveries4 = 12

| wickets4 = 1

| bowl avg4 = 16.00

| fivefor4 = 0

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 1/6

| catches/stumpings4= 38/–

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/42620.html CricInfo

| date = 25 July

| year = 2015

}}

Saleem Elahi (Urdu: سلیم الہی; born 21 November 1976) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played 13 Test matches and 48 One Day Internationals between 1995 and 2004. He made 102 not out on his international debut, against Sri Lanka in September 1995, becoming the first player from Pakistan to score a century on ODI debut.

Considered a limited-overs specialist, Elahi averages 36.17 in ODIs and 52.30 in List A cricket. In 28 of the 48 ODIs that he had played as an opener he averaged 42, the best for a Pakistani. He had limited success in first-class cricket averaging just 32.

Personal life

Born in 1976 in Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan, Elahi has two older brothers—Manzoor Elahi and Zahoor Elahi, both of whom represented the Pakistan cricket team.{{cite web|title=Saleem Elahi|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2/2226/2226.html|website=CricketArchive|accessdate=31 July 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/675353-cricketing-dynasties-the-twenty-two-families-of-pakistans-test-cricket-part-5|title=Cricketing Dynasties: The Twenty Two Families of Pakistan's Test Cricket – Part 5|website=The News International}}

Career

=International career=

Despite not playing first-class cricket, Elahi was selected for the home series against Sri Lanka in 1995–96.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149716.html |title=Move over Darling |accessdate=23 November 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/862303-baptism-by-fire-fewest-first-class-matches-before-test-debut-for-pakistan|title=Baptism by fire: Fewest first-class matches before Test debut for Pakistan|website=The News International}} In the first of the three-match One Day International series played at Gujranwala, he scored 102 not out off 133 balls thus becoming the first player from Pakistan to score a century on ODI debut;{{cite web|title=Records / One-Day Internationals / Batting records / Hundred on debut|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/233754.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=23 July 2015}} at age nineteen, he remains the youngest cricketer to do so as of July 2015. His man of the match-winning innings helped Pakistan secure a nine-wicket victory.{{cite web|title=First One-Day International: Pakistan v Sri Lanka|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151242.html|website=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|publisher=reprinted by ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=31 July 2015}} He scored 77 runs in the next two games, thus accumulating 179 runs in the series. He was then selected to play in the Singer Champions Trophy in Sharjah the same year.{{cite web|title=Statistics / Statsguru / Saleem Elahi / One-Day Internationals|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/42620.html?class=2;template=results;type=batting;view=series|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=31 July 2015}}

With continued success in both the tournaments, Elahi was picked up for the Test series against Australia in November 1995. Later, he made his first class cricket debut and played two matches against West Australia and South Australia. In two Tests, he managed to score 43 runs at an average of 10.75. Following that, he was intermittently selected and dropped from the side. Between his debut and 2002, Elahi played 13 Tests for Pakistan scoring 436 runs at an average of 18.95. Contrary to his success in ODIs, he managed just one half-century and six ducks, including a pair, in Test cricket.{{cite web|last1=Zaltzman|first1=Andy|title=Saleem Elahi and the rich man's Saleem Elahi|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/622211.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=31 July 2015|date=7 November 2012}} With the exception of a series in England in 2000, where he averaged 44.40, he failed to average more than 20 in any of the series'.{{cite web|title=Statistics / Statsguru / Saleem Elahi / Test matches|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/42620.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=series|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=31 July 2015}}

Towards the tail end of 2002, when Pakistan toured Zimbabwe and South Africa, he scored three centuries in four games. In one of those matches, in 2002 against South Africa, he made his highest score of 135. In the match, he shared a partnership of 257 runs with Abdul Razzaq for the second wicket to help Pakistan reach 335 runs. He was eventually selected for the 2003 World Cup. In four matches he scored 102 runs, crossing half-century once. Post World Cup, he represented Pakistan in two tournaments after which he was dropped from both the Test and ODI squads.

=Career after retirement=

In 2016, he was included in the squad of Sagittarius Strikers and participated in the Masters Champions League.{{Cite book |title=Current Affairs |last=Josh |first=Jagran |year=2016 |pages=206 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fq64CwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Saleem+Elahi%22&pg=PA206}}{{Cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/15-Jan-2016/six-players-get-noc-for-mcl|title=Six players get NoC for MCL|date=15 January 2016|website=The Nation (Pakistan)}} In the same year, he toured South Africa as part of a series arranged by Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/167268-Saleem-guides-Panthers-Veterans-to-victory|title=Saleem guides Panthers Veterans to victory|website=The News International}} He has also participated in Veterans Cricket Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/585362-lahore-tigers-enter-final|title=Lahore Tigers enter final|website=The News International}}

In July 2021, Pakistan Cricket Board appointed him as the coach of East Zone (B) Central Punjab, representing CCA Sahiwal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/862418-pcb-announces-remaining-cca-coaches|title=PCB announces remaining CCA coaches|website=The News International}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/857535-pcb-announces-coaches-of-city-associations|title=PCB announces coaches of City Associations|website=The News International}}