Azhar Mahmood Sagar is a Pakistani cricketer who was born in Rawalpindi on February 28, 1975. He bats with his right hand and bowls with his right shoulder. He was a member of the Kings XI Punjab team in Islamabad, Pakistan. Azhar became a British citizen in 2011.
Background
Azhar was mentored by Irfan Bhatti, a former Pakistani cricketer, when he was a teenager.
In the 1993-94 season, Azhar made his first-class debut for Islamabad. In the 1993-94 season, he also made his List A debut. His impressive contributions to the team helped him win a place on the national team.
Debut
In 1996, Azhar debuted for Pakistan in an ODI against India in Toronto. In the match, he did not take any wickets. In the losing cause, he scored 6 runs as India won by 8 wickets.
In 1997, he made his Pakistan Test debut against South Africa in Rawalpindi. Azhar made his debut in the sport of cricket. Against a solid South African bowling attack, Azhar scored an unbeaten 128. In the second inning, he also scored 50 runs. In the match, he took two wickets.
Rise to Glory
He amazed everyone with his power hitting with the bat since joining the Pakistan team as a bowler.
In 1999, he also picked up back-to-back 5-wicket hauls in Sharjah against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
He was a member of the Pakistani team that reached the World Cup final in 1999. He was also a member of the 2003 World Cup team.
Low Points
After being cut from the squad due to bad results, he was called up in 2007 for an ODI series against South Africa.
He was left out of the 2007 World Cup, but he came in to substitute Abdul Razzaq, who had a knee injury. He did not feature in a single match for Pakistan, who were relegated from the group stage.
Club Career
Azhar represented Surrey in the County Championships from 2002 to 2007, before joining Kent on a two-year deal. In the 2012 IPL, he was a member of Kings XI Punjab, and in 2015, he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement for James Neesham. In 2013, he played for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
Retirement
He became a British citizen in 2011, rendering him ineligible to represent Pakistan.