00:00In the spring of March 2000, under the soft shadows of Peshawar's historic stance,
00:05Muhammad Yousaf carved out a masterclass of elegance against a fiery Sri Lankan attack.
00:11Chasing a stiff target in the second inning of the second Test match,
00:15Muhammad Yousaf stood tall amidst the ruins with a fluent 88 runs of 131 deliveries,
00:21a knock that sparkled for 171 minutes, laced with eight classical boundaries and three towering sixes.
00:28His strike rate of 67.17 in a pressure situation told the story of a man in rhythm.
00:34Facing the artistry of Muthaya Murali Dharan and the swing mastery of Chaminda Vals was not easy task,
00:40yet Muhammad Yousaf danced down the track, leaned into cover drives,
00:44and played the spinners with the calm compoyers of a maestro.
00:48His bat was like a paintbrush on canvas, every stroke a thing of beauty.
00:52Especially those cover drives, they were not mere runs, they were poetry in motion.
00:58He pierced the infield with grisky finances.
01:00His timing so precise that even Murali Dharan paused in admiration.
01:05Although Pakistan's fell short by 57 runs in a gripping contest,
01:09Muhammad Yousaf innings stood as the lone bright star in an otherwise dim sky.
01:14It was an effort that deserved more than just personal milestone.
01:18So sit back and relive this for Cotton Classic,
01:21the art history of Muhammad Yousaf at Peshawar, when grace met great.
01:28Very good bowling change.
01:29And the chair's rear bringing himself on.
01:33Getting the results straight away.
01:34The captain's injured and has gone back into the dressing room for attention to the next,
01:46which was caused by that collision with umpire Nazir Jr.
01:51Over the top, one for four, so the shots continue to flow.
02:08Joshua Gahana going after Céline Nawaz.
02:16Well that was a glorious hot base of Gahana.
02:18Just leaning into it, making use of the wits.
02:24He's on the up.
02:25I'm sure the younger player is in now, and that's a fine hit.
02:35Over the top, gone all the way.
02:38We had another six-hop near the Céline, and that was well stopped.
02:41No swiping about that.
02:43That was a superb cricketing shot.
02:47But when we take the Dharan's end, a great deal of confidence,
02:50coming down to Mosvindran, after Mosvindran has been now giving him
02:53an enormous amount of problems.
02:56Right to the Céline and straight over the top for things.
03:00Superbly stuck shot.
03:07That would have been run out.
03:09Alert work in at the short leg position.
03:13Josiane in there, and a rather strange looking attempt at a sweep from Gahana,
03:19out of his ground, and would have been gone through all the world.
03:24Backhand flick at the stump, no more than a couple of yards away.
03:31Phrenetic stuff out there.
03:34Real high drama with the Pakistanis, looking to try and pick up runs.
03:38Phrenetic stuff out standing in the field.
03:50Josiane at extra cover.
03:53He's seen some magnificent work on the boundaries by fielders who have thrown themselves after the ball.
03:58That's why they're in this position.
04:05Set effort by Wilson really epitomizes the mana in which the Sri Lankans have thrown themselves
04:10around throughout his test match.
04:14Certainly been the feature.
04:25Ball pitched on the turf before he got to the left hand, but he may have just got the hand under it.
04:31I'm not sure whether it hit the bat or not is now immaterial.
04:35On to his left, we couldn't see from there.
04:41Ball dropped in Dilchan, having a lot of work to do in there.
04:46And let me release a right smile.
04:55That detector, that's quite hard and set to go time.
04:59Another easy catch.
05:00The end of the overalls.
05:01One to a gate for football.
05:05Down the wicket.
05:07Out of the way six.
05:11What a stroke.
05:13Moose of Johanna.
05:15Easily lifting some exertoria over the top.
05:19And done with utmost speed.
05:22Full follow through.
05:23One, two, three and bang.
05:24Straight over the ball of head.
05:26Back in an injured side.
05:30Amwa off the field injured at the moment.
05:32Searching debatable as to whether he will
05:35back again in this innings.
05:38Talent guards the rear.
05:39His opposite number.
05:42To bowl from the pavilion end.
05:47Another huge hit.
05:51Six more to Yusuf Johanna.
05:56Take him to a thousand rands in set cricket.
06:06Two away from another half century.
06:11And a good time to hand over.
06:14Tony Kosia with Lincoln.
06:19So there's the statistic.
06:21And a really commanding way to bring it up.
06:28There's another one.
06:30The 1915.
06:32Just then it goes to four.
06:36Yusuf Johanna.
06:39It's been attacking beneath from him.
06:43And at least it's given the crowd here
06:45something to tear themselves up.
06:47And when he gets big, he gets big.
06:52Very big sixers strike down the ground.
06:58Eight fours and six sixers.
07:06And of those eight fours and six sixes,
07:08he's had four fours and three sixes.
07:10So he's had exactly half the number of boundaries.
07:16All at sea again from early in the early stages.
07:20He should have been out.
07:22It didn't look to be shot selection.
07:24Wasn't good against that off spin.
07:26But man, since then he's played some very fine shots.
07:29And that's a superb shot.
07:35Lovely use of the feet.
07:37And that's one of the best shots he's made so far.
07:41Well, it's my main tape.
07:42The hip loss is going to arrive here.
07:44It might have been the other one.
07:45As we've seen before, a candidate for a run out
07:55using a seat to that extent
07:57with those fielders very close in.
08:00He's got to be very alert to get back in.
08:04He's charging as he plays the shot.
08:07On the previous occasion,
08:09I think he sort of got past the man in close from the onside,
08:12took off for a run and would have been run out by miles.
08:15In fact, the fielder in there could have thrown it to the keeper
08:18to make the dismissal.
08:28Oh my God!
08:33Well, they've been plenty of appealing in this match,
08:36but that's a little bit of desperation.
08:37It's not really convincing from Miralitharan.
08:47Down the naked.
08:49And a beautifully taken on the drop kick.
08:52He's put it down.
08:53Pushpa Kamara.
08:56Got both hands to it.
08:57Miralitharan is absolutely furious.
09:01He seemed to have it.
09:02He is not a happy man.
09:05Pushpa Kamara moving to his right.
09:07He seemed to have the ball at his last and put it down.
09:14The question, why is he trying to hit it out of the ground with the beats himself
09:18to be able to clear the edge?
09:19He doesn't think this ground's big enough for him
09:21and he's shown that it isn't in most cases.
09:24With two hands to it, blasts him away.
09:27In fact, it almost went right through the hands.
09:29The disappointment for the Sri Lankans, in particular, Murali.
09:37Not a happy chappy.
09:38That was a magnificent shot.
09:46No ball has been hit harder than that in this match.
09:51Well, this is brutal.
09:53Chargers, momentum coming forward,
09:56and just smashed it down the ground on the offside.
10:00Here we go.
10:00It's the foot for foot.
10:01The charge is on and whack.
10:09Stopped it.
10:11Goodness me.
10:12The use of Johanna being flawed once again.
10:14Again, it's Kuspa Kumara, who is faulty with his sign of capping.
10:22It's all happening here.
10:24Johanna, once again, looking for the aerial route.
10:26And there you are.
10:27That's Kuspa Kumara, extending himself to the police.
10:32And just eluding him.
10:33So, Murali and Murali, certainly not impressed at all.
10:37Taking his head.
10:38Take a delivery.
10:44Drop chance, and the ball going to the boundary,
10:46bringing up the 50 of the partnership.
10:53He's gone.
10:54Led before on the back foot.
10:56Very similar dismissal to the one we saw before of Abdul Razak,
11:01playing back, and a real disappointment.
11:04The end of a fine innings by Yusuf Johanna,
11:07who gave of Pakistan hope when at one stage it seemed very little.
11:12But he made a misjudgment on this occasion.
11:16Muhammad Yusuf, formerly known as Yusuf Johanna,
11:20before embracing Islam in 2005, is widely regarded as one of Pakistan's finest and most
11:27elegant test best men.
11:29Born on August 27, 1974 in Lahore,
11:33Muhammad Yusuf brought a touch of classical grace to Pakistan's
11:36batting lineup during an era, often dominated by power hitters and flamboyants.
11:42What set him apart was his serene compoyer at the crease, silky smooth stroke play,
11:48and effortless ability to build innings under pressure.
11:51His cover drives were textbook perfect, and his footwork,
11:55both pace and spin made him a formidable opponent in all conditions.
12:00In test cricket, Muhammad Yusuf represented Pakistan in 90 test matches between 1998 and 2010,
12:07scoring a remarkable 7,530 runs at an average of 52.29, including 24 centuries and 33 fifties,
12:17with a high score of 223.
12:20The year 2006 was the zenith of his career, where he broke Serviv Richard's 30-year-old record
12:27for most test runs in a calendar year, amassing a staggering 1,788 runs in just 11 matches,
12:35at an average of 99.33.
12:37With 9 centuries, a record that still stands, Muhammad Yusuf was known not just for his
12:43piling runs, but for his ability to absorb pressure and deliver when his team needed him the most.
12:49Whether it was countering spin on the dusty tracks of India or battling pace in Australia,
12:55Muhammad Yusuf always stood out with a calm determination and unmatched elegance.
13:01Beyond number, it was the way his sport runs, with grace, timing and patience,
13:06that won the admirations of fans and critics around the globe.
13:10His contribution to Pakistan cricket is ashton Gold,
13:14a true ambassador of the classical batting style in modern times.
13:18If you like this video, please comment, share and subscribe.
13:22Thank you very much.
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