Qasim Umar

Qasim Ali Umar (Template:Langx; born 9 February 1957) is a Kenyan-born Pakistani former cricketer. He was the first black Pakistani cricketer who played in 26 Test matches and 31 One Day Internationals between 1983 and 1987 for the Pakistani national cricket team before getting banned for admitting his involvement in spot fixing.

Umar played his cricket both as an opening batsman as well as with the ability to bat anywhere in the middle order. He matriculated from the prestigious private boys' school, St Paul's English High School, in Karachi, on a cricket scholarship in 1974.

Born in Kenya, Umar migrated to Pakistan with his family in 1957. His mother was Kenyan, and due to his East African features, he was often mistaken as a member of the Sheedi community.

After the ban, he left Pakistan to settle down in Manchester, United Kingdom.

In 2018, Karachi Municipal Corporation named a fly-over after him near National Stadium, Karachi.

Controversies

In 1985–86, he became the first player to make claims on the impact of recreational and performance-enhancing drugs in cricket.

Umar also accepted gifts and accused his teammates of indulging in sexual relations with prostitutes in return for underperforming in certain matches.

See also

• List of Test cricketers born in non-Test playing nations

References

• Cricinfo Bio