The 150+ Club - Imran Nazir

Pakistan opening batsman Imran Nazir regards his innings of 160 against Zimbabwe in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 as a special moment of his career.

The 120-ball innings featured 14 boundaries and eight sixes and came in Pakistan's last game of the 2007 edition.

But for the 29-year-old Nazir the knock held special significance because it came in the backdrop of a number of other incidents, like the death of their coach Bob Woolmer.

Pakistan had already exited the tournament following losses to West Indies and Ireland.

"It was our last match of the tournament. We were in a state of shock after the death of Bob Woolmer. We met and decided to win the match in Woolmer's memory. The hundred made it all the more special for me and the team," recalled Nazir.

The knock was memorable for another reason as well, as captain Inzamam-ul-Haq had announced that he is ending his One-Day International career post the game.

"The match has special memories because I wanted to make his (Inzamam's) farewell grand. I wanted to gift him a knock which he would remember forever," said Nazir.

The right-handed opener succeeded in both his stated objectives, but could not deliver himself a promised double hundred.

"Everybody used to say that I have it in me to score a big hundred. My strategy that day was to bat through the innings. I wanted to score 200 but I was out to a brilliant catch (by Stuart Matsikenyeri). But still I was happy at the end of it all that I performed for the team and held the record for highest score of the tournament."

Nazir also pointed out that he was in such good form that day that he would have scored the hundred against any top side.

"It is not a question of whether the Zimbabwe attack was weak. As a cricketer I can say that any bowler is the same and creates the same pressure. It is what you make of it. Luck was with me that day. I would have scored a hundred even against Australia that day. The pitch was flat, but we bowled well and won easily."

Nazir played just three ICC Cricket World Cup matches in the 2007 edition and he regards it as the best moment of his career.

"If you ask a club cricketer he would want to play first-class cricket. The first-class cricketer would want to play Tests. It took me seven years to play in an ICC Cricket World Cup match. I had played everything else except that tournament. It was a big thing for me," said Nazir.

But if there is one regret that Nazir has three years on then it is about the fact that Woolmer was not around to see him score.

"If he had been alive he would have been proud of me. Whatever he taught me as coach, I applied it that day. I was in shock after his death. He was family for me and I missed him dearly," said Nazir.