'Asian Bradman' Zaheer Abbas appointed Peshawar Zalmi board president

E-Paper | March 11, 2026

Legendary ex-cricketer Zaheer Abbas has been appointed Peshawar Zalmi board president, the team announced on Friday.

Abbas, known as the 'Asian Bradman', is expected to guide the team on growth strategies for its cricket initiatives and related strategic affairs, according to a Zalmi press release.

"It is a great privilege and honour for the entire Zalmi family that one of the biggest names of the cricketing world has acquiesced to join us," Peshawar Zalmi Chairman Javed Afridi said.

Afridi said that Zalmi's goals to enter into South Africa's Global Twenty20 league, and growth of the Global Zalmi fan-based initiative "require expert advice and guidance from professionals like Zaheer Abbas who have experience working in the highest echelons of cricket administration".

Abbas will also provide his input on the Zalmi's foundation plans, Afridi said.

Abbas appreciated the Zalmi's dynamism and Afridi's vision. He expressed his hope that the team would repeat its stellar performance in the upcoming Pakistan Super League and defend the championship title.

A stylish batsman of his era, Zaheer Abbas has scored 5,062 runs for Pakistan in 78 Test matches and 2,572 runs in 62 One Day Internationals. He is also the only Pakistani batsman to have scored over 100 first-class centuries ─ 108 to be precise ─ and a mammoth 34,843 runs in first-class cricket.

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Surya Kant Agrawal

Nov 10, 2017 02:24pm

He is the only Pakistan's batsman I truly admired.

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Lost cause

Nov 10, 2017 02:30pm

With due respect, he can best be Pakistan's Bradman and not Asia's. Title is for Tendulkar and Gavaskar to share

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Osama

Nov 10, 2017 07:19pm

@Lost cause This title was given to him by the cricketing community and it was well deserved, he is one of the greatest ODI batsman in history and rivaled the great Viv Richards in that era. The only Asian to have made a century of centuries in first class cricket, he had an ODI average greater than Gavaskar and Tendulkar in an era which was very hard for batsman. He averaged 50 in county cricket in over 200 first class games, he was also nicknamed the "run machine" by them. There is no doubt, he is and will always be the Asian bradman but it seems our neighbours have tunnel vision when it comes to great Batsman in cricket History.

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NBA na

Nov 10, 2017 10:01pm

@Osama with all due respect I disagree. We. Have many players having more than 50 average that does not mean they are all Bradman. Sachin is all time best.

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Joe

Nov 10, 2017 10:02pm

He is also the only Pakistani batsman to have scored over 100 first-class centuries ─ 108 to be precise ─ and a mammoth 34,843 runs in first-class cricket" Tendulkar more than 30000 runs only in international cricket more than 100 centuries in international cricket..May be his records not available.

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Vish

Nov 10, 2017 10:34pm

@Lost cause comparisons are not good at all . Bradman was Bradman . He played in a different era . Zakir decimated opposition with classy shots many a time . Admire him for that . Sachin had his style . Gavaskar wore down the opposition . Who can forget King Richards . These are all greats with their own unique style . Brian Laura was very destructive . Don’t forget the Sultan of swing . I ran was too arrogant and self centered and I will leave him out of any list . David Gower the left handed was a sheer pleasure to watch

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Ryan

Nov 11, 2017 04:39am

With all due respect, Sir Zaheer Abbas was a legendary batsman and in same league as most of his era master batsman. But to single him out as Asian Bradman is bit of exaggeration. Did Bradman ever commented him of playing similar to him? That credit had gone only to Sachin Tendulkar with Sir Bradman himself acknowledging that. Again, I still rate Sir Zaheer Abbas in high steam and no less than his any of world counterpart batsman of his era.

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