In cricket’s long and storied history, only a select few players have had the honor of leaving an indelible legacy on the sport, one that inspires generations of cricketers. For former England all-rounder Moeen Ali, one such player is Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar.
During a recent episode of his podcast Beard Before Wicket, Moeen Ali revealed his admiration for Saeed Anwar, calling him his favorite cricketer and someone who had a profound impact on the game. While discussing the most underrated players in cricket history, Moeen praised Anwar’s elegant yet attacking style in an era where protecting your wicket was often the top priority.
“Saeed Anwar is a legend, but he is massively underrated. They don’t talk about him enough,” Moeen said. “Saeed Anwar’s record is probably not as good as some other guys, but the way he played—he was my favorite player, and he was the guy I tried to copy as much as I could. When I was younger, I used to try and bat like him.”
“If you speak with a lot of the players from that era, they will say he was the best,” Moeen Ali continued.
Moeen Ali is not the only player to have been mesmerized by Saeed Anwar. The stylish left-hander was a trailblazer in cricket, known for his record-breaking innings of 194 against India in 1997, which stood as the highest individual score in ODIs for over a decade.
Beyond that monumental knock, Anwar’s consistency was his hallmark. He remains Pakistan’s leading century-maker in ODIs, with 20 hundreds to his name, and was renowned for his ability to dominate bowling attacks with a blend of grace and power. His technique and fearless approach to opening the innings are widely credited with influencing a generation of batsmen that are gracing the cricketing fields these days.
Moeen Ali’s heartfelt tribute is a reminder of the impact Saeed Anwar had on the sport, not just in Pakistan but across the cricketing world. For a player often described as underrated, Saeed Anwar’s influence on the game remains undeniable, proving that true greatness is measured not just by numbers but by the inspiration left behind.
