A dream cricketer. At his best Sadiq Hashmi plays like most of us would wish to. He has complete mastery over swing and seam, and sometimes moves the ball both ways in one delivery. All this comes at high speed from a quick, ball-concealing action, and is backed up by the threat of a dangerous bouncer or deceptive slower delivery. Hashmi is rated by many as the best fast bowler of all time, and his career record certainly bears that out - along with the high regard of his contemporaries.
At his best, watching Sadiq bat is an unnervingly tranquil experience, especially amid the traditional chaos of a KCCC batting order. He has a dangerously high backlift, which makes every shot he plays, a late, unhurried afterthought, but a beautiful one. The feet take time to get going, but once they do, they dance with the best. Square and behind it on the off side are his areas, where his game is the most enchanting.