Jamil Akhtar

Jamil Akhtar (Urdu: ; born 1930) was a Pakistani footballer who played as an inside left forward. Considered as one of the earliest pioneering footballers in Pakistan history, he was the fifth captain in the history of the Pakistan national football team after Osman Jan, Abdul Wahid Durrani, Muhammad Sharif and Moideen Kutty. Akhtar also played for East Bengal in India.

Club career Akhtar was member of Lahore club Rangers FC throughout his career. He represented Punjab University football team from 1948 to 1951. In 1950, he played for Rangers FC at the Rovers Cup in 1951 in Bombay.

Jamil (middle, sitting row), with the Punjab football team in 1952.

He also represented Punjab in the National Football Championship from 1950 to 1953, captaining the team in the last year.

In 1954, he played in India for the Calcutta Football League club East Bengal.

International career

In 1952, Akhtar represented Pakistan in the 1952 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament in Ceylon, making his debut in the last match of the tournament against India. The following year, he was a part of the team for the 1953 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament, appearing in all three matches, where he scored once against Burma and twice against Ceylon. He also appeared in a 1–0 win against India, after the conclusion of the tournament.

In a preparation match, he scored against a Singapore combined Colony XI in a 4–1 victory on 24 April 1954. In the next match against the Singapore national team, held the following day, Jamil found the net once again, the match would end in a 2–2 draw. At the 1954 Asian Games, he scored a brace in a 6–2 win against Singapore in a group match, where Masood Fakhri had notably scored a hat-trick, and Moideen Kutty also scored a goal, and also appeared in the 1–2 loss against Burma. scoring a goal against Ceylon in a 2–1 victory.

At the next 1955 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament, he featured in all three matches, and scored in a 4–2 victory against Burma. At the exhibition matches at the beginning of the tournament, he scored a hat trick against an East Pakistan XI on 14 December in a 3–1 victory.

Coaching career

After retirement as player, Akhtar served as coach of the Pakistan Western Railway football team.

Career statistics

International goals Scores and results list Pakistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Akhtar goal.

Honours Pakistan

Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament: Winners (1): 1952

Punjab National Football Championship: Winners (2): 1952, 1953