Pakistan cricketer Muhammad Ebrahim Ghazali is known simply as Muhammad Ghazali or by his nickname “Ibbu.”. He played in his only two test matches against England on the famous 1954 tour. A dubious distinction that he achieved during the rubber in the third test match at Old Trafford, he was dismissed for the fastest pair in Test match history. This is all within a matter of two hours.
Muhammad Ghazali was a prominent figure in the later part of Pakistan’s cricket history. He was an off-spinning all-rounder who could bat right-handed. For several years, in cricketing publications around the world. He continued to be referred to as a left-handed batsman, having been born in the Indian state of Gujarat. He was actually born in Bombay.
It was in Maharashtra that he made his first-class debut in 1942–43 at the age of 18 and later played for the Muslims and South Zone in India before appearing for Sindh in newly independent Pakistan. Soon after, he became an important member of the combined service team that represented Quaid-e-Azam on the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Championship circuit.
He was also a member of the strong Pakistan Eaglets side that toured England the year before. His highest first-class score was 160 for Combined Service against Karachi at the Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground in 1953–54. His best bowling was 5 for 58 the following season against Punjab in Lahore.
Muhammad Ebrahim Ghazali served as an administrator after his retirement in the mid-1950s. He was manager of the Pakistan team on a tour of Australia in 1972–73. By this time, he was a wing commander in the Pakistan Air Force. He also replaced Omer Qureshi in the capacity of manager on the 1978–79 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
After that, the former had to rush back home due to other professional commitments. Although Muhammad Aslam Khokhar one of his teammates on the 1954 tour of England, beat him, becoming the first century-maker in a first-class match on Pakistani soil, he also achieved the distinction of making a ton in the new country’s maiden first-class match.
Muhammad Ebrahim Ghazali made only four runs while opening the batting for Sindh in a three-day match against West Punjab at the Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground in Lahore in December 1947, and the hosts ran up a total of 421 in reply to Sind’s 126 all-out.
Ebrahim Ghazali was sent in at number five in the second inning at 21-3, and he returned unbeaten with 128 to his name as Sind was bowled out for 227 in the drawn encounter. Ibbu Ghazali, who has left behind two sons and a daughter, had been ill for some time and was totally out of the news. Before he played his two Tests in England, he had earned the honor of representing Pakistan in their first unofficial Test match, against the West Indies at Lahore in 1948–49. His first-class career lasted until 1955–56 and was spread over thirteen years.
Overall, he featured in 47 first-class matches. Muhammad Ebrahim Ghazali scored 1,701 runs at an average of 27.43, which included three hundred and seven half-centuries. He also held 17 catches and captured 61 wickets for 34.27 runs apiece. Twice, he took five wickets in an inning. Muhammad Ghazali will be remembered for being the fastest pair in Test Match history. He died in Karachi on April 26, 2003, just two months before his 79th birthday, after a protracted illness.
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