Shoaib Malik - Interesting Facts, Trivia, And Records

Shoaib Malik, who celebrates his birthday on 13th August, is one of the top-rated all-rounders of Pakistan. Malik is a jack of all trades and can play any role he is asked to do. 

Here are some interesting facts, trivia, and records of Shoaib Malik: 

1) Malik began playing tape ball cricket in the streets of Sialkot - where he was born - and developed his interest in the game. 

2) In 1993-94, Shoaib attended Pakistan's great Imran Khan's coaching clinic in Sialkot, from where he took his cricket seriously. He gave priority to his batting but also bowled decently. 

3) A 14-year-old Shoaib Malik attended trials for the under-15 World Cup and was picked in the squad for his bowling. 

4) Shoaib Malik comes in the special list of players who made their international debut in the 1990s and are still playing. 

5) Shoaib Malik has an unusual record of batting at every position except 11th in ODI cricket. 

6) Malik was handed over the Pakistan captaincy post 2007 World Cup. At the age of 25, Shoaib became the fourth-youngest player to captain Pakistan. However, his captaincy stint only lasted 18 months and he got removed from the position in 2010. 

7) Shoaib Malik is the first male cricketer to play 100 T20Is and third overall. 

8) The Pakistani all-rounder is the first Asian batter to score 2000 runs in T20Is. Malik went on to become the 4th batter to score 8000 T20 runs. He is also the first from Pakistan to score 10000 T20 runs. 

9) Shoaib Malik married Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza, in 2010 in Hyderabad. They are one of the famous cross-border couples. 

10) Shoaib Malik played 35 test matches and scored 1898 runs, which includes three centuries. In ODIs, Malik scored 7534 runs and took 158 wickets. Pakistan's T20I specialist scored 2335 runs and picked up 28 wickets while in T20s, Malik amassed 10027 runs and had 148 scalps to his name.