Maneer Mirza

Who is Maneer Mirza?

Maneer Mohammed Mirza is an English cricketer: a right-arm fast-medium bowler and right-handed batsman who played for Worcestershire. He is the younger brother of another former Worcestershire player, Parvaz Mirza, who died aged just 24 in 1995.

After a number of second-team appearances the previous year, Mirza made his first-class debut in Worcestershire's drawn game against Pakistan A at New Road in July 1997. He took 3-136 in his only innings, and two weeks later made his County Championship debut against Kent, taking three wickets in the match. Having reached the first team he remained there for the rest of the season, playing a total of six first-class games and taking 19 wickets at 32.63; he also appeared in four List A games, but took just one wicket in total.

Still only 20, Mirza's career was disastrously affected in July 1998, when after a handful of second-eleven games he suffered a stress fracture of the back and was unable to play again that season. He returned for 1999 and 2000, but never managed to force his way back into the First XI, and eventually left Worcestershire altogether.