Best Captains of Pakistan Cricket Team Across Formats

Abdul Hafeez Kardar was the first-ever captain of the Pakistan cricket team. The cricketer, who was later also a politician and diplomat, led Pakistan in their first 23 Test matches from 1952 to 1958. 

Pakistan played their first-ever Test in October 1952, when the team toured India for a five-match series, ultimately losing 2–1.

Over the years, many cricketers have taken on the captaincy of the Pakistan Cricket Team across various formats. Among them, Imran Khan is widely regarded as the most accomplished leader.

Imran Khan 

Imran Khan is widely regarded as the greatest-ever captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team. He first took over the captaincy from Javed Miandad in 1982, at the age of 30, and took little to no time in establishing himself as the next big thing in Pakistan cricket. He may not have won the most matches as Pakistan captain, but Khan revolutionized cricket in the country. 

In his very first year as captain, Khan led Pakistan to a historic Test win at Lord's, their first on English soil in 28 years. This was followed by a dominant home season that same year, where Pakistan registered a 3-0 series win against both Australia and India in Tests. More historical wins followed five years later in 1987, when Khan led Pakistan to their first-ever Test series victories in India and England. 

That same year, Pakistan were unable to make the semifinals of the Cricket World Cup, following which Khan announced his retirement. But he was persuaded to return by General Zia-Ul-Haq in 1988, resuming his captaincy. 

His finest hour as captain came in 1992 when he led Pakistan to their only World Cup victory after defeating England in final. 

To sum it up, Khan's captaincy tenure spanned across different periods: 1982-84, 1986-87, and 1988-92. He led Pakistan in 48 Test matches, winning 14, losing eight, and drawing 26. In ODIs, he captained the side in 139 matches, winning 75 wins and losing 59.

Image Credit: Pakistan Cricket Team Twitter (X) Account

Wasim Akram

Following Imran Khan’s retirement after the victorious 1992 World Cup, Wasim Akram was entrusted with the captaincy. For seven years, he guided Pakistan to some memorable wins. 

In 1996, Akram led Pakistan to a 2-0 series victory over England on English soil. In 1999, he captained Pakistan to the final of the ODI World Cup, although they were ultimately defeated by Australia in a one-sided contest.

In the same year, Akram's Test captaincy reached new heights during the Asian Test Championship, where Pakistan emerged as the best team in Asia by defeating both India and Sri Lanka. This victory was particularly symbolic, as it came during a period of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Akram was also the Player of the Series in the Asian Test Championship. 

Despite these successes, Akram’s captaincy also had its share of controversies. He and three other players were arrested for publicly smoking marijuana during Pakistan’s 1993 tour of the West Indies, a scandal that briefly cast a shadow over his leadership.

Akram’s captaincy tenure spanned three periods: 1993-94, 1995-96, and 1997-99. In Tests, he captained Pakistan in 25 matches, winning 12, losing eight, and drawing 5. In ODIs, he led the team in 109 matches, winning 66.

One of the most feared fast bowlers in the world, particularly known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Akram is still Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 414 wickets.

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Misbah ul Haq 

Misbah-ul-Haq was made the captain during a tumultuous time for Pakistan cricket. After Shahid Afridi was removed as ODI captain in 2012, Misbah stepped in. Under his leadership, Pakistan, ranked fifth in the Test rankings, achieved some memorable wins, including a 3-0 clean sweep over England, the then No. 1 Test team, in 2012. In another three-match Test series against England in 2015, Pakistan drew the first match before winning the next two. 

Another historic feat under Misbah's reign was a first-ever Test series win against Australia in 20 years in 2014. It was during this series when Misbah also set the world record for the fastest half-century in Tests (50 off 21). That same year, Pakistan chased over 300 runs in the final three sessions against Sri Lanka in to square a series. 

In 2016, Pakistan achieved the pinnacle of Test cricket under Misbah's captaincy by reaching the No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings. Misbah turned the UAE, Pakistan’s adopted home ground, into an unassailable fortress. Under his captaincy, Pakistan remained unbeaten across nine consecutive Test series in the UAE.

Misbah’s captaincy spanned from 2011 to 2016, during which he led Pakistan to 24 wins out of 52 Test matches, losing 17 and drawing 11. In ODIs, he captained Pakistan in 87 matches, winning 45 of them. His brief T20 captaincy yielded six wins from eight matches.

Waqar Younis 

Waqar Younis, known for his lethal pace and reverse swing, made history when he became the youngest captain of the Pakistan Test team at the age of 22 years and 15 days. He still ranks as the fourth youngest Test captain in cricket history. While his captaincy career ended in disappointment after Pakistan's early exit from the 2003 World Cup, Younis led Pakistan to some memorable wins.

From 2001 to 2003, Younis led Pakistan in both the longer formats. Pakistan won a two-match Test series against England in 2001 under his captaincy. 

Statistically, Younis had an impressive record as captain. In 17 Test matches, Pakistan won 10 and lost seven, with no drawn games. However, it was in the ODI format where Younis truly shone as a captain. With a winning percentage of 59.68%, he is one of Pakistan's most successful ODI captains among those who led in 50 or more ODI matches. In 62 ODIs under Younis' captaincy, Pakistan won 37 and lost 23.

As a bowler cum captain, he holds the record for the best bowling figures by a captain in an ODI, taking seven wickets for 36 runs. He is also the first captain to claim a seven-wicket haul in an ODI match.

Inzamam-ul-Haq

Inzamam-ul-Haq took over the ODI captaincy of Pakistan in 2003, following the team's early exit from the World Cup that year. However, his tenure ended four years later, after Pakistan's early exit from the 2007 World Cup. While he couldn't lead Pakistan to an ICC trophy, Haq's overall tenure saw him register a win percentage of 52.94. 

One of Haq's most memorable moments as captain came during the 2004-05 series in India. Inzamam led them to a 1-1 Test series draw and a 4-2 ODI series win. His individual brilliance shone in the third and final Test, where he scored a match-winning 184 runs in Bangalore. 

In all, he led Pakistan in 31 Test matches, winning 11, losing as many, and drawing nine. In the ODI format, he captained the team in 87 matches, notching 51 wins and 33 losses. Haq also captained Pakistan in a solitary T20I, which they won.

Pakistani cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq//Getty Images