Bilawal Bhatti - Pakistan - Bowling Allrounder

A promising all-rounder, Bilawal Bhatti, earned recognition at domestic level for his ability to bowl over 140 kph as well as hitting the ball at great distance coming lower down the order. He made his first-class debut for Sialkot in 2009 and also represented their under 19 team.

Bhatti proved fantastic on his debut season picking up 89 wickets in 20 matches. He bettered his performance in Sui Gas, when he took 72 scalps at an average of 19.33 in 17 games and also scored two first-class centuries.

In the Presidents Trophy in 2013-2014, Bhatti showed good form by scoring a ton, a half-century and also taking 9 wickets in just 3 games. This performance led to his inclusion in the national squad. He was selected in the T20 side and made his debut against South Africa in November 2013. His debuts in ODIs and Tests followed soon after. Bhatti, particularly, was impressive in his Test debut against Sri Lanka, in which he managed to take 5 wickets.

Bhatti is slowly becoming a permanent part of the Pakistan team and it was evident when he was selected in the 15-member squad for the 2014 World T20.

Interesting fact: In 2010, Bhatti was a part of the team at the Asian Games in China, which won a bronze medal by beating Sri Lanka in the 3rd place play-offs.

by Sonali Dhulap
As of March 2014