alim-ud-din started his international career against england in june 1954, at the lord's cricket ground, in a match in which he scored 19 runs. in the fourth test of the same series pakistan beat england by 24 runs, recording their first test win over them to become the first team to defeat england during their maiden tour. alim-ud-din managed to score 10 runs in the match. in 1954–55, he played, against india, in pakistan's first home tests, finishing the series as the leading run scorer with 332; he made three fifties and in the fifth match scored 103 not out at the national stadium, karachi, his first international century. he was the first batsman ever to make an international century on the ground.