Aftab Gul Khan is a man who has lived multiple lifetimes in the space of one. A student leader of Pakistan’s emerging left in the 60s, an international test cricketer, a successful lawyer, a close associate of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and a prominent member of the Pakistan People’s Party in its promising days, Aftab Gul’s life is a treasure trove of history’s key moments.
AFTAB GUL KHAN
Born on 31st March 1946
Pakistani Cricketer
He was born on 31st March 1946 in Gujjar Khan. He got his early education from Cathedral School, Lahore from where he passed his Matriculation. After that, he joined Government College, Lahore for his Intermediate and later he enrolled himself into Punjab University Law College, Lahore and did his Law Graduation (LL.B).
In 1964-65, as a right-hand batsman and leg-break bowler, he made his first-class debut in an Ayub Trophy match for Punjab University against Lahore at Punjab University Old Campus Ground. It was an inauspicious debut thought, but Aftab Gul scored a quick 29 in 68 runs opening stand with wicketkeeper Abdul Haleem. In his next match against Pakistan Railways at the same venue, he was clean bowled for a duck by Railway’s fine pace bowler Bashir Haider. Soon after the conclusion of the Ayub Trophy, he appeared for Lahore Reads against the combined team of Punjab University & Lahore Education Board at the Punjab University Old Campus Ground in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he made his maiden first-class fifty (58) runs in his team’s only innings.
In 1965-66, he opened the batting in the traditional annual fixture between the Punjab Governor’s XI and Punjab University at the Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground in Lahore. He brilliantly contributed scores of 49 & 31 runs in both innings. He fired in with his maiden first-class hundred. He made exactly 100 runs, for the Punjab University against Sargodha, again at his favourite Punjab University Old Campus Ground as the Ayub Trophy Championship got underway. The hundred was made in 175 minutes and included as many as 19 boundaries. His career was put on the right track. He missed another hundred by just four runs (96) when he played against Karachi Whites. His opening partner Mushtaq Hashmi hit 69 runs. They put up a first-wicket partnership of worthy 169 runs. The Punjab University side took the crucial first-innings lead over the team from Karachi. But Lahore Greens had the better of them at the next hurdle. Aftab Gul hit a brisk 76 as the match drew to a close.
In 1966-67, he played for Lahore against Pakistan Railways at Punjab University Old Campus Ground, Lahore in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and scored 13 runs in his team-only innings. Then he was picked in the Punjab team that played against the touring Ceylonese at Lyallpur Stadium (now Iqbal Stadium) and scored 36 & 23 in the match. Later he played for Central Zone against MCC Under-25 at Sahiwal (now Zafar Ali) Stadium and 4 & 3 runs in two innings.
In 1967-68, he scored 473 runs in 10 first-class matches but his batting average remained below 30. But his two significant innings of 90 & 31 were notable performances. This was for Pakistan Universities against the touring Richie Benaud-led Commonwealth team
had raised his stock as a future Pakistan prospect. In a previous match when he led Central Zone against the same visitors, he made a fighting 76 in a nine-wicket defeat at Sargodha. He was given a chance to represent Pakistan in the second Un-official Test against Commonwealth at Lahore. He opened the batting with Muhammad Ilyas and got dismissed for four in the first innings and then he had to retire hurt in the second after he had started off well and contributed seven runs.
In 1968-69, he was elevated to lead Lahore in the quarter-final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and playing against Sargodha at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground, Lahore he started with a bang, scoring 78 runs in his team’s mammoth score of 774-9 wickets declared. In the semi-final against Pakistan Railways at Punjab University Old Campus Ground, he hit 110 & 81 in two innings of the match. During the final against Karachi at Gaddafi Stadium, he made scored 36 & 22 in the match. Due to no play on the final day and Karachi had conceded a slender first-innings lead of 18 runs, Lahore was declared the winner of the championship. Then playing for the Punjab University against the Punjab Governor’s XI at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground, where he scored 16 & 0 was subsequently chosen to play for BCCP XI against the visiting England at Dring (now Bahawal) Stadium in Bahawalpur. His two significant innings of 50 & 55, paved the way to include him in the team for the first test match. He made his test debut at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore and played sedately to muster scores of 12 & 29. Despite showing a good temperament for big cricket, he was excluded from the second test at Dacca (now Dhaka). However, he was recalled for the Third & final test to be played at National Stadium in Karachi but unfortunately, he couldn’t go in to bat as a crowd disruption ended the match as well as the tour on the third day.
In 1969-70, he appeared for Punjab University against Sargodha at Punjab University Old Campus Ground in Lahore, where he batted well and made two good innings of 108 & unbeaten 58 in the match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Later he was drafted into the President’s XI against the touring New Zealanders at Pindi Club Ground in Rawalpindi. He played two noteworthy innings of 67 & 21, he was included in the team for the third & final test against the tourists which played at Dacca, where he scored 30 & 5. Soon after the test series was over, he appeared in a three-day friendly first-class match for Pakistan XI against The Rest XI at Zafar Ali Stadium, Sahiwal and scored 7 & 11 in the match. Then he played for Governor’s XI in the annual traditional fixture against Punjab University at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground in Lahore, where he batted well and scored 59 retired hurt & 28 in two innings. After that Ayub Trophy was started and he led Lahore (A) against Peshawar at Gymkhana Ground in Peshawar and made 19 & 0. In his next round match against Rawalpindi Greens at GHQ Ground in Rawalpindi and where he again out on meagre scores of 16 & 0 in both innings. His leadership qualities had impressed the National Selectors enough when he was named to lead the Pakistan Under-25 team tour of England in the summer of 1970, but unfortunately, the tour got aborted and he never got another opportunity.
In 1970-71, much happiness was in store for him, when he ended up the season with 669 runs at an average of 39.35 in 9 first-class matches and added two more hundreds to his aggregate. He scored one hundred each in Quad-e-Azam Trophy and Ayub Trophy tournaments. Moreover, he was also provided an opportunity to play in a four-day representative match BCCP XI against the visiting International XI at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. In the summer of 1971, he toured England with the Pakistan team and overall on the tour scored 1154 runs at 46.16 with hundreds against Gloucestershire and Warwickshire in 16 first-class matches and was second only to that Zaheer Abbas. In the third delivery of the first test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, he took a blow on the head from Alan Ward, requiring six stitches. He played in all three test matches but produced only 106 runs at 26.50 with 33 runs as his highest score. His last appearance at the test level was in the third & final test at Headingley, Leeds, where he made 27 & 18 in two innings.
In 1971-72, he again led Lahore against Punjab University at Iqbal Parks Ground in Lahore during the semi-final of the Punjab Governors Gold Cup Tournament and he made scores of 24 & 21. Then he appeared for Pakistan XI against Punjab XI at Gaddafi Stadium to celebrate the 2500th year of Iranian Monarchy. He scored 34 & 15 in both innings and helped his team to lift the Shanshah Iran Gold Cup. In the quarter-final of the BCCP Trophy against Pakistan Railways (A) at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground in Lahore, while playing for Lahore (A) he made 59 & 32. Then he played two significant innings of 44 & 94 in the semi-final against PIA (A) at the same venue but could not save his team from defeat and PIA (A) advances into the final, where they met with Karachi Blues. Later he was included in the Pakistan team for the tour of Ceylon during the same winter but again it was his bad luck, the tour was cancelled.
In 1972-73, he played in the quarter-final of the BCCP Patrons Trophy for Lahore (A) against Pakistan Railways at Aitchison College Ground in Lahore, where he was out on 0 & 4 in both innings of the match. He led Punjab against Pakistan Universities at the same venue in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and he scored 52 runs in his team’s massive score of 624-9 wickets declared. In the next match, which was a semi-final against Pakistan Railways at Railways Stadium in Lahore, where he made two attractive innings of 63 & 89 in a drawn match, but Pakistan Railways advanced into the final on the first innings lead margin. Due to this excellent performance, he was chosen to play for President’s XI against the visiting England team at Pindi Club Ground in Rawalpindi and score 26 & 4 in the match. Disillusioned with favouritism, in September 1972 he announced his retirement from test cricket, when not considered for the winter tour of Sri Lanka, Australia & New Zealand. However, after a few months, he withdrew his decision.
1973-74, was the best season of his entire first-class career when he smashed 1008 runs at 40.32 with 3 hundred and became an automatic choice for the 1974 tour of England. Still, unfortunately, he failed miserably on the tour scoring 293 runs at 29.30 with one hundred in 6 first-class matches and due to his poor form he was not considered for any of the three test matches.
In 1975-76, after skipping the entire previous season of 1974-75, this season his performance was not up to the mark as well. During the season, he made only 130 runs at 16.25 with 57 runs as his highest score in 5 first-class matches.
In 1976-77, he appeared for Service Industries without being employed with them in the BCCP Patrons Trophy. While leading them against Lahore (B) at Railways Stadium in Lahore, he scored 27 runs batting at the number-four position in his team-only innings. In the next match against Lahore (A) at Gaddafi Stadium, he made 22 & 82 in the match. In the semi-final against Pakistan International Airlines at the same venue, he scored only 11 runs, reverting to his opening slot.
In 1977-78, he played for Punjab Greens against the National Bank of Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium in the semi-final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he made 51 & 0 in two innings. Then he appeared for Punjab against Pakistan International Airlines at Punjab University Old Campus Ground in the BCCP Invitation Tournament, he score 48 & 10 in the match. In his next match against Sindh at Railways Stadium in Lahore, he made 15 & 35 in two innings of the match. This also proved to be his last appearance at the first-class level after he announced his retirement from first-class cricket. However, he continued to play one more season in 1980-81, where he appeared for Lahore City in the Wills Cup Tournament.
Overall in his career, which spanned from 1964-65 until 1977-78, he scored 6179 runs at 36.77 with 11 hundred. He took 48 catches and 14 wickets at 34.50 with occasional Leg-break bowling. He also appeared in 6 test matches for Pakistan scoring 182 runs with the highest of 33 at 22.75. He did not play in any limited over International.
He became the first Test cricketer in the world to make a first-class appearance while on bail for alleged political activities in 1968-69. In 1983, he got political asylum in England on the grounds of his family was being terrorized by General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime. The martial law authorities had reportedly seized two Soviet surface-to-air missiles from his residence in Lahore. As a political activist of the band Pakistan People’s Party, he was only able to return to Pakistan after five and half years of asylum in 1989.
