Azharuddin, Mohammed (1963-…), was a famous Indian cricketer. Azharuddin made his debut for the Indian national cricket team against England in 1984 and became the first cricketer to score centuries (100 runs) in each of his first three Test matches. From 1990 to 1996, he served as captain of the national team. He won the captaincy again in 1998. In 1999, he was appointed captain of the Indian cricket team for the World Cup in England. He was a skilled batsman, averaging 45 runs per innings in 99 Test matches. Azharuddin also was an outstanding cover point fielder. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1991 by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanac, the world’s foremost cricket reference book. See Cricket .
Azharuddin was born on Feb. 8, 1963, in Hyderabad, India. In 1996, he married the Indian motion-picture actress Sangeeta Bijlani. In 2000, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) banned Azharuddin for life for allegedly helping to fix cricket matches. The BCCI lifted the ban in 2006. In 2009, Azharuddin was elected to the Indian Parliament, representing Moradabad in western Uttar Pradesh.
