Manoj Prabhakar is a former Indian cricketer

 

Manoj Prabhakar is a former Indian cricketer

who was known for his all-round abilities as a medium pacer and lower order batsman. Born on 15 April 1963 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Prabhakar was an important member of the Indian cricket team in the 1990s.

Early life and cricket career

Manoj Prabhakar started his cricket journey in Delhi where he played for the Delhi Under-19 team. He made his debut for Delhi in the 1982–83 season and continued to play for the team till 1996–97. He was also part of the North Zone team that won the Duleep Trophy in 1984-85 and 1985-86.

Prabhakar made his international debut for India in a One-Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka in Nagpur in 1984. He played his first Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1986. Prabhakar was known for his ability to swing the ball both ways. was considered one of the best swing bowlers in the world during his playing days.

One of Prabhakar's most memorable performances came in the 1992 World Cup, where he played a key role in India's victory over arch-rivals Pakistan. Prabhakar scored an unbeaten 22 in the match and picked up 3 wickets, including Pakistan's star batsman Javed Miandad.

Prabhakar's all-round ability was showcased in the Test series against England in 1993. He scored a hundred (120) in the third Test in Manchester and took 6 wickets in the match, including five in the second innings.

Controversy

Prabhakar's career was also marked by controversies. In 1994, during India's tour of Sri Lanka, he was accused of offering bribes to his teammate Navjot Singh Sidhu to not score in a Test match. Prabhakar was banned for 4 matches by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his involvement in the scandal.

In 1997, during India's tour of the West Indies, Prabhakar accused then Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin of match-fixing. Prabhakar's allegations led to a full-fledged investigation and both Prabhakar and Azharuddin were eventually banned for their involvement in match-fixing.

Retirement

Prabhakar retired from international cricket in 1996 after playing 39 Test matches and 130 ODIs for India. He ended his career with 96 Test wickets and 157 ODI wickets. He has also scored 1,606 Test runs and 1,603 ODI runs, with 3 Test centuries and 4 ODI centuries to his credit.

Post-cricket career

After retiring from cricket, Prabhakar became a coach and commentator. He also joined politics and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Meerut constituency in Uttar Pradesh as an independent candidate.

Conclusion

Manoj Prabhakar was a talented cricketer who could swing the ball both ways and bat effectively in the lower order. However, his career has been marred by controversy, including allegations of match-fixing and offering bribes to teammates. Despite the controversies, Prabhakar remains a respected figure in Indian cricket and his performances on the field are always remembered by cricket fans.

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