Zafar Ansari

Zafar Shahaan Ansari (Urdu: ظفر انصاری; born 10 December 1991) is a former English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and the England national team. A spin-bowling all-rounder, he bowled left-arm orthodox spin, and batted left-handed. He now works as a lawyer in London.

Zafar Ansari
Personal information
Full name
Zafar Shahaan Ansari
Born (1991-12-10) 10 December 1991
Ascot, Berkshire, England
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
RoleAll-rounder
RelationsKhizar Humayun Ansari (father)
Sarah Ansari (mother)
Akbar Ansari (brother)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 673)28 October 2016 v Bangladesh
Last Test17 November 2016 v India
Only ODI (cap 237)8 May 2015 v Ireland
ODI shirt no.42
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2010–2017Surrey (squad no. 22)
2011–2013Cambridge University
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 3 1 71 42
Runs scored 49 – 3,009 819
Batting average 9.80 – 29.79 35.12
100s/50s 0/0 – 3/15 0/4
Top score 32 – 112 66*
Balls bowled 408 – 8,843 1,289
Wickets 5 – 128 38
Bowling average 55.00 – 35.88 31.97
5 wickets in innings 0 – 6 0
10 wickets in match 0 – 0 0
Best bowling 2/76 – 6/30 4/42
Catches/stumpings 1/– 0/– 31/– 21/–
Source: CricketArchive, 26 April 2017

Background and education

Ansari is of Pakistani descent through his father, Professor Khizar Humayun Ansari, who migrated from Sukkur, while his mother, Professor Sarah Ansari, is British. His older brother Akbar is a former county cricketer.

Ansari was educated at St John's Beaumont School[1] and came through the Surrey academy system, having represented the county before he turned nine and also representing England at U15 (a team he also captained), U17 and U19 level. He was awarded an academic scholarship to Hampton School and read politics and sociology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, graduating with a double-first.[2] In 2016, he completed a 40,000 word Masters dissertation on the 1960s American civil rights group, the Deacons for Defense and Justice, being awarded his master's degree in history with distinction at the end of the year by Royal Holloway, University of London.[3][4][5]

Cricket career

County cricket

Ansari made his Surrey debut against Sussex in September 2010 in a List A match,[6] before making his first-class debut for Cambridge MCCU against Essex in April 2011.[7] He had bowling figures of 5–33 in only his third first-class match, for Cambridge MCCU against his own county of Surrey, Kevin Pietersen being among his victims.[8]

He scored his maiden first-class century in 2014, for Surrey against Derbyshire.[9] In Surrey's next first-class match, against Leicestershire, he had his first 5-wicket haul for the county with figures of 5-93.[10]

International

Ansari made his One Day International debut for England against Ireland on 8 May 2015, in a game which was eventually abandoned due to rain.[11]

On 15 September 2015, he was announced as a member of the 16-man England squad visiting the United Arab Emirates the following month to play three Tests against Pakistan.[12] However, on the same day that the announcement was made he dislocated his thumb when fielding against Lancashire and, as a result, was replaced in the England team by Samit Patel.[13]

Ansari was selected as a member of the England touring party to Bangladesh and India in 2016–17, and made his Test debut for England in the second Test against Bangladesh on 28 October. He took figures of 0–36 in the first innings, and made 13 with the bat. In Bangladesh's second innings he took 2-76, although he was out for a duck in England's second innings as they lost by 108 runs.[14]

Ansari played in the first two Tests against India. In the first Test, he made 32 in England's first innings total of 537. He took figures of 2–77 in India's first innings, before picking up another wicket in the second innings, although England were unable to force a victory. In the second Test he did not take a wicket, and was out for a duck in England's second innings as England lost the Test by 246 runs. A back injury prevented him from playing any further part in the tour.[15]

Retirement

On 26 April 2017, at age 25, Ansari announced his retirement from professional cricket with immediate effect. He did not regard himself as a super-successful cricketer, such as Joe Root or Moeen Ali, so retirement did not feel like he was giving up something.[16] He stated he had always maintained that cricket was just one part of his life, and that he had other ambitions that he wanted to fulfil.[5] Ansari had a wide worldview and interests.[17] Two years after retiring from cricket he said "On a day to day basis I think I’m a happier person."[18]

Career after cricket

Since cricket, he has worked for "Just for Kids Law, a legal charity supporting young people with immigration, housing or school issues" and Inquest.[19]

In 2021 he was appointed as one of the five members of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket set up by the England and Wales Cricket Board to tackle inequity in the sport.[20]

Ansari was called to the bar in 2021 and practices at Blackstone Chambers.[21]

References
  1. "Congratulations to SJB OB Zafar Ansari on Test Debut". St John's Beaumont School. 31 October 2016.
  2. "Cambridge graduate called up to England Cricket squad". Varsity. 17 September 2015.
  3. "Life away from cricket helps Ansari prosper". ESPNcricinfo. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  4. "Cambridge graduate selected for England cricket squad". Varsity. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  5. "Zafar Ansari announces retirement". Surrey County Cricket Club. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  6. "Group A: Sussex v Surrey at Hove, 4 September 2010". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  7. "Cambridge MCCU v Essex at Cambridge, 2-4 April 2011". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  8. "Cambridge MCCU v Surrey at Cambridge, 11-13 April 2011". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  9. "Surrey v Derbyshire at Derby, 15-18 June 2014". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  10. "Surrey v Leicestershire at The Oval, 22-25 June 2014". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  11. "England tour of Ireland, Only ODI: Ireland v England at Dublin, May 8, 2015". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  12. "England in UAE: Alex Hales and Zafar Ansari in, Adam Lyth out". BBC Sport. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  13. "Pakistan v England: Samit Patel replaces Zafar Ansari". BBC Sport. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  14. "England tour of Bangladesh, 2nd Test: Bangladesh v England at Dhaka, Oct 28-Nov 1, 2016". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  15. "Zafar Ansari retires to pursue 'other ambitions' away from cricket". 26 April 2017.
  16. "I didn't 'give up' when retiring - Ansari". BBC Sport.
  17. "Zafar Ansari: 'If money was a motivation I would have stayed longer in cricket'". 26 June 2017.
  18. "Hampton Sports Chronicle". 2 May 2019.
  19. "The World according to Zafar Ansari (Josh Bartholomew, Hampton School)".
  20. Scyld Berry (19 November 2021). "Why game needs an independent review at watershed moment". The Daily Telegraph. London. p. 7 (Sport section).
  21. "Zafar Ansari".
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