Taslim Arif

{{Short description|Pakistani cricketer (1954–2008)}}

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

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Taslim Arif

| image =

| country = Pakistan

| fullname = Taslim Arif Abbasi

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1954|5|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = PIB Colony, Karachi, Pakistan

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|3|14|1954|5|1|df=yes}}

| death_place = Karachi, Pakistan

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role = Wicket-keeper

| international = true

| internationalspan = 1980

| testdebutdate = 29 January

| testdebutyear = 1980

| testdebutagainst = India

| testcap = 82

| lasttestdate = 8 December

| lasttestyear = 1980

| lasttestagainst = West Indies

| odidebutdate = 21 November

| odidebutyear = 1980

| odidebutagainst = West Indies

| odicap = 31

| lastodidate = 19 December

| lastodiyear = 1980

| lastodiagainst = West Indies

| odishirt =

| club1 = Karachi

| year1 = {{nowrap|1967/68–1989/90}}

| club2 = NBP

| year2 = 1967/68–1989/90

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 6

| runs1 = 501

| bat avg1 = 62.62

| 100s/50s1 = 1/2

| top score1 = 210*

| deliveries1 = 30

| wickets1 = 1

| bowl avg1 = 28.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/28

| catches/stumpings1 = 6/3

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 2

| runs2 = 28

| bat avg2 = 14.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 24

| deliveries2 = –

| wickets2 = –

| bowl avg2 = –

| fivefor2 = –

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = –

| catches/stumpings2 = 1/1

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 148

| runs3 = 7,568

| bat avg3 = 33.63

| 100s/50s3 = 13/40

| top score3 = 210*

| deliveries3 = 311

| wickets3 = 7

| bowl avg3 = 30.28

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 4/46

| catches/stumpings3 = 312/56

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 40

| runs4 = 853

| bat avg4 = 25.84

| 100s/50s4 = 1/4

| top score4 = 113*

| deliveries4 = –

| wickets4 = –

| bowl avg4 = –

| fivefor4 = –

| tenfor4 = –

| best bowling4 = –

| catches/stumpings4 = 45/14

|date=6 January

| year = 2008

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/43275.html ESPNcricinfo.com

}}

Taslim Arif Abbasi (1 May 1954 – 14 March 2008) was a Pakistani cricketer who played in six Test matches and 2 One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 1980. His score of 210*{{citation|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153599.html |title=WISDEN – Second Test Match – PAKISTAN v AUSTRALIA 1979–80 |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |date=13 March 2008 |accessdate=22 April 2012}} for Pakistan against Australia stood for more than 20 years as the highest score made by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket, until broken by Zimbabwean Andy Flower.{{citation|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282898.html |title=Records / Test matches / Batting records / Most runs in an innings by a wicketkeeper |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |date=13 March 2008}} Arif died in Karachi from a lung infection in 2008. He was buried at Faisal Cantonment cemetery in Karachi.{{citation|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/342394.html |title=Former Pakistan keeper Taslim Arif dies |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |date=13 March 2008 |accessdate=22 April 2012}}

He went to a local government school in P.I.B colony Karachi. After finishing his matriculation he was admitted to National College Karachi on the basis of his cricket record. He continued to play for the college team in intercollegiate matches. His mentor Professor Mukarram Ali Khan Shirwani played a major role in introducing him to several selectors as an outstanding and budding wicketkeeper batsman. During his days in the college he had several team members who gained national duties. One of his teammates was Mohsin Hassan Khan who played for Pakistan as an opener and later became a national coach. Along with most of his teammates he was against political parties involvement in students politics. He actively supported Fasahat Ali Khan against Hussain Haqani of Islami Jamiate Talaba by bringing in the entire sports teams to vote which resulted in Fasahat winning the students union elections.