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Pak cricketer Fawad Alam is trending. Here's why...

August 14, 2020 12:50 IST

IMAGE: Fawad Alam missed 88 Tests in the time that he was out on the sidelines. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Pakistan cricket fans stormed Twitter, their joy evident, after middle-order batsman Fawad Alam was named in the team for the second Test against England.

The reason for their happiness? Awam was brought back into the Test fold after 11 years (10 years and 258 days to be exact)!

Alam, playing his first Test since 2009, replaced Shadab Khan in the Playing XI.

The 34 year old made his debut in 2009, scoring a century (168) against Sri Lanka. He played two more Tests that year before losing favour with Pakistan's national selectors.

 

His absence of 10 years, 258 days is the second longest interval between Tests for a Pakistan player, and the second longest for players from all nations.

John Traicos holds the record for the longest interval between Tests. He played his third Test for South Africa against Australia in 1970 just before the ban from international cricket due to apartheid.

After 22 years and 222 days, Traicos played his fourth Test, this time for Zimbabwe against India.

Alam missed 88 Tests in the time that he was out on the sidelines.

IMAGE: England's players celebrate after a successful review to dismiss Fawad Alam off the bowling of Chris Woakes during Day 1 of the second Test in Southampton on Thursday, August 13, 2020. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

It wasn't a dream comeback for Awam though. He was out lbw to Chris Woakes for a duck on Thursday, August 13.

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