Majid Khan: Pakistan's Elegant Cricketer and Cricketing Aristocrat

Majid Khan was one of Pakistan's most elegant and technically refined cricketers of the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Ludhiana in 1946 (now in India), Majid came from one of cricket's great families — his father Jahangir Khan and cousin Imran Khan both played Test cricket for India and Pakistan respectively. Majid played 63 Tests for Pakistan between 1964 and 1983, scoring 3,931 runs at an average of 38.92 with eight centuries. He was a right-handed top-order batter who combined classical technique with attacking intent, and was also a useful medium-pace bowler and slip fielder.

Cambridge University and County Cricket

Majid studied at Cambridge University and played for the university cricket team, which then competed in first-class cricket against county and touring sides. He later played county cricket for Glamorgan and Queensland in Australia, becoming one of the first Pakistanis to build a substantial career in English county cricket. His first-class record was exceptional — over 27,000 first-class runs at an average exceeding 43 — reflecting his quality across all conditions and surfaces.

International Career

Majid captained Pakistan in three Tests and played in Pakistan's most competitive era of international cricket, alongside Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Mushtaq Mohammad and later Javed Miandad and Imran Khan. He held the world record for the fastest century in a first-class match — hitting 100 in 35 minutes against Glamorgan for Pakistan in 1976, though this record has since been surpassed. His 112 against England at Karachi in 1972-73 — scored at better than a run a ball — showcased his ability to bat aggressively with classical technique.