On this Day! Hashim Amla was born – A look at his glittering career

There have been very few cricketers who have exuded as much class as South Africa great Hashim Amla. He was born on March 31, 1983 and has gone on to become one of the best cricketers of all time. 

Hashim Amla’s cricket career was one of the most successful and illustrious ones in South African cricket history. Amla was a technically sound and gifted batsman, who had the ability to adapt to any condition and opposition with ease. He made his Test debut for South Africa in 2004-05 and over the next 12 years, became one of the most consistent performers for the Proteas across formats.

Amla was not an instant success, but he made it count when he was handed a second chance, scoring a magnificent 149 in a draw against New Zealand in Cape Town. However, he came into his own in the subsequent years, particularly on tours to India, where he scored heavily. He was the backbone of South Africa’s batting on the 2008 and 2010 tours, scoring a triple century against England at The Oval in 2012, becoming the first South African to achieve the feat.

Apart from his Test exploits, Amla was equally prolific in ODIs, where he was known for his ability to score at a brisk pace while still maintaining his composure. He broke several records in one-dayers, including the fastest to 6000 ODI runs, and fastest to 20 ODI tons, beating the likes of Viv Richards and Virat Kohli.

Amla was handed the Test captaincy in 2014 following Graeme Smith’s retirement, and he led South Africa to a Test series win in Sri Lanka and against West Indies at home. However, a dip in form saw him step down from the captaincy in January 2016, but he continued to contribute with the bat, scoring a double-hundred against England in Cape Town in his last match as captain.

Despite a dip in form in 2015, Amla remained one of the best batsmen in the world, and his consistency was remarkable. He averaged around 50 in Tests and ODIs making him one of the most valuable assets for South Africa. His style of play was effortless, and he always gave his team the best chance to win.