The Untold Story of Aftab Habib | England’s Short-Lived But Gritty Cricketer - video Dailymotion

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Aftab Habib’s cricket story is one of resilience, class, and pure love for the game. Once rejected by Middlesex, he rose through determination to become a key figure for Leicestershire, scoring over 8,800 runs in first-class cricket with 21 centuries. His elegant stroke play and calm temperament made him a pillar in county cricket.  Though his international career for England lasted just two Tests in 1999, Habib’s heart, skill, and passion for batting left a lasting mark on those who watched him. From his match-winning century in Leicestershire’s 1998 Championship win to his later role as Hong Kong’s coach, Aftab Habib’s cricketing life reflects courage, persistence, and quiet excellence.  This video revisits his stats, career highlights, and the emotional journey of a player who never gave up on his dream.  👉 Don’t forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more untold cricket stories and vintage memories.  🔖 Hashtags  #AftabHabib #EnglandCricket #LeicestershireCricket #CountyChampionship #TestCricket #CricketLegends #ClassicCricket #CricketHistory #CricketLovers

Transcript

00:00Aftab Habib A name that flickered briefly in the lights

00:03of test cricket but shone with consistency and grit in the English county game.

00:09Born on 7 February 1972, Aftab Habib's journey is one of a perseverance, resilience and a love

00:16for the batting that carried him across counties and eventually into coaching roles around the world.

00:22Aftab Habib's international brush with test cricket was brief but symbolic. He played two

00:28test matches for England, batting in three innings and scoring a total of 26 runs,

00:33with a high score of 19. His test batting average rest at 8.66.

00:39Though the raw figures may look modest, they mark a moment of pride when domestic

00:44promise met the ultimate proving ground. Let's watch his last test performance

00:49against New Zealand Aftab Habib in 1999.

00:52Aiming through cover point after Habib. He gets it back with a square off a full face.

01:04It runs for England but

01:08they are looking to survive. Ticklish period.

01:11Nervy time for the batsmen.

01:19Easy one. Gotta put all this right to the back of their minds, these two batsmen.

01:24The interruptions in the over when the umpires are going and having a chat about the light.

01:31They'll want to come off England in a precarious position at one, two, three for four.

01:39Batsmen will desperately be wanting to come off but they can't.

01:49Aggressive play by New Zealand. Here's the England card. Stewart gets a start.

01:56Mighty relief too. And then succumb to Dion Nash but catch by Stephen Fleming.

02:01But since then, Likits have fallen.

02:05Orp and Ramprakash have gone.

02:06Oh, bowling through the gate.

02:13Lazy forward stroke from Aftab Habib.

02:18And the off stumps hit and Habib's gone.

02:24Again, excellent bowling, Dion Nash.

02:26England in some trouble.

02:32Aggressive bowling by New Zealand. Full of length again. That's the key.

02:36Goes nowhere. Through between bat and pad.

02:40Off stump. Halfway back.

02:45Young man goes again. 123 for five.

02:48Here's Aftab Habib. Test match scores so far of one at Edgbaston and six in the first innings here.

03:03Up the order at number five because of this injury to Hussein.

03:07Sensational delivery again from Cairns.

03:25Such a big step up. County cricket into this level.

03:29Cairns bowling wonderfully well.

03:32Intelligently full length ball.

03:34He's only six inches off direction there.

03:37Tries the Yorker. Flattens Habib.

03:42England in disarray.

03:51Habib's away.

03:53Playing well away from his body but that will relieve a little bit of the tension in his body.

03:58He's registered a boundary.

04:01He needs a score personally.

04:09Absolutely for the team.

04:12That's a lovely shot.

04:13Don't get face.

04:14Play every ball on its merits.

04:17Nicely into the ball.

04:20Will play square of the wicket.

04:23It's an open face but

04:25welcome to test match cricket.

04:28I think it's a good shot.

04:37It's a good shot.

04:39it says not out

04:43confident appeal

04:46one thing that love pitch will have to consider here

04:49is whether it's outside the line

04:51or not and I think he might just have got

04:53outside Bob. Yeah I agree Ian

04:54that's what it looked like to me

04:57it's

04:58more confidence

05:03in the appeal there by the close and feelers

05:05but Torrey wasn't so convinced

05:06just so

05:09the ball may have jammed

05:11between bat and pad but Rudy

05:13Kurtzen

05:13giving it not out

05:16straight off the pad

05:19good decision

05:20that's beautifully bowled

05:27but what a magnificent shot from Habib

05:29great cricket

05:32it's been mightily enjoyed

05:35by this crowd here

05:36it is lovely cricket

05:44he asked a question

05:46Vittori

05:47threw the ball up there

05:49good flight

05:50inviting flight

05:51Habib equal to it

05:53there's a beautiful shot

05:55good control

05:57that's good cricket

06:01gone

06:04but he's gone because he didn't get him behind the ball

06:07the back foot never moved

06:08he fended with the hands

06:09and Allard struck twice now this morning

06:12it's a fend

06:14it's a flash

06:15it's a nothing shot

06:19it's nothing other than a get out shot

06:22Jeff Allard really doing a fantastic job for his country this morning

06:28it's a poor shot

06:30but Nathan Astell

06:32is delighted to clutch onto that stinging catch there

06:35lack of back foot technique there

06:38fending with the hands

06:40it's a real flaw in his game that he must go away and work on

06:48that's the back foot pointing towards cover it goes nowhere

06:54the hands are just really thinning the ball into second slip

07:01once overlooked by Middlesex

07:03Aftab Habib fought his way back through sheer weight of runs

07:07at Leicestershire he became our rock at the top of the order

07:11twice crossing the magical milestone of 1000 first class runs in a season in 1999 and 2000

07:18his most cherished moment came in 1998 at the Oval where his sublime 114 in the decider helped

07:26Leicestershire clinch the county championship

07:29it was betting built on patience timing and the calm assurance of a man who rose to the occasions

07:35when his side needed him most

07:37his learned straight drive often struck on the front foot became his signature stroke

07:42his domestic dominance eventually earned him the England call-up in 1999

07:47selected for the home test series against New Zealand

07:51Aftab Habib's international career was short-lived

07:54limited to just two test matches the scrutiny of test cricket exposed technical flaws

08:00gaps between bat and pad footwork that lagged against the world-class attack

08:05but his courage at the crease was undeniable

08:08for a boy once written off to wear the England cap was still a triumph of a character

08:14county cricket remained his true stage

08:16jack brinkenshaw the veteran coach never missed an opportunity to sing habib's praises and for

08:22the good reason he was a run-getter a battler and a team man yet cricket can be unforgiving

08:29a move to essex in 2001 promised fresh beginning but the runs came in spurts rather than torrents

08:37these reasons averaging around 38 could not cement his place and by the 2004 he found himself without a county

08:45injury leicester shire welcomed him back but the tide had shifted younger faces were given their chances

08:51and aftab habib's roles diminished by the end of 2006 season the once reliable run machine quietly laid

08:59down his bat and walked away from the county scene but aftab habib's cricketing story did not end there

09:07his passion for the game found new expression in coaching in 2007 he was appointed head coach of

09:14hong kong guiding them during their asia cup campaign in pakistan the following year he poured his energy

09:20into developing the women's and girls games in england and later took charge as head coach of berkshire

09:27woman from 2016 continuing to pass on his knowledge and love for the cricket to the next generations so

09:33aftab habib's tale is not just about two fleeting test matches it is about a cricketer who fought the

09:40odds made his mark in the county circuit lifted silverware with leicester shire and then gave back

09:46to the game through coaching his legacy is one of the determination of a player who might not have had

09:52a long test career but whose name still stars found memories in those who watched him bat with elegance

09:59and courage over 159 first class matches he amassed 8 873 runs at a very respectable average of 41.85 he

10:10registered 21 centuries and 46 half centuries with our highest stellar score of 215 and took 80 catches

10:19in his fielding role though he bowled only occasionally just 106 deliveries he nonetheless claimed one wicket

10:26with the best bowling figure of one for 10 at a bowling average of 80. in list take cricket aftab habib

10:32appeared in 168 matches scoring 3212 runs at an average of 26.32 he crossed the three-figure marks

10:41once notched up 1450s and held 57 catches with the ball in list take games he delivered 59 balls picked up

10:50two wickets with a bowling average of 29 although his t20 expo year was limited just two matches he

10:57managed 26 runs with the batting average of 26 and a strike rate of 173.33 these are the stats of a

11:05cricketer who may not have built a legendary international records but whose performances

11:11at the county level one admiration memories and respect his story reminds us that crickets not just

11:17made of global stardom but of quiet persistence of taste and getting runs that matters to one's

11:24teams and of a lifelong love affair with the game if you like this video please comment share and

11:30subscribe thank you very much

The Untold Story of Aftab Habib | England’s Short-Lived But Gritty Cricketer

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