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Sikhander Bakht, a fast medium bowler so thin commentators nicknamed
him 'The Matchstick Man', was one of the young Pakistanis who was thrust
into Test cricket early because of defections to World Series cricket.
Making his debut in 1976-77 against New Zealand in Karachi, it was not
until the tour of India in 1979-80 that he began to live up to his name,
Sikhander being the near-Eastern version of Alexander the Great. In
that series he took 8-69 in New Delhi as India were bowled out for 126,
then 5-55 at Bombay and 5-56 in Kanpur. Sikhander toured Australia
in 1976-77 without playing in a Test and played in the fifth Test in
Jamaica on the West Indies tour that followed, taking five wickets in
the match. He opened the bowling in the second Test against Mike
Brearley's England side in 1977-78.
He was expensive in his three Tests
on the 1978 England tour, when he shared the new ball with Sarfraz
Nawaz. He played two Tests against India in 1978-79 before he was
dropped. In New Zealand in 1978-79 he took 3-88 in Christchurch and 4-68
in Napier, and four wickets in the Perth Test of 1981-82. In England in
1982 he played in two tests, losing his place after the Faisalabad Test
against India in 1982-83. In the 1979 World Cup Sikhander bowled 12
overs for just 18 runs against Canada, and took 3-34 against Australia
at Trent Bridge and 3-32 against England at Headingley. He played for 14
years for United Bank in Pakistans internal competitions and also for
Pakistan International Airlines. (Bob Harragan)
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