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Imtiaz Ahmed
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LAHORE — Imtiaz Ahmed, a member of Pakistan’s first-ever Test team, died in a Lahore hospital Saturday after a brief illness, his family said.
The 88-year-old Ahmed featured in Pakistan’s first Test played in Delhi against India in October 1952 and went on to play 41 matches as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
Ahmed’s family confirmed his death.
“He (Imtiaz) was suffering from chest infection and died early Saturday,” a member of the family told local media.
Ahmed was known as an aggressive batsman who had a variety of strokes, most notably the hook and the pull shot. He scored 2,079 Test runs for Pakistan with a career-best of 209 against New Zealand in Lahore in 1955.
He put on 152 for the first wicket with the legendary Hanif Mohammad in the Bridgetown Test against West Indies in 1958, scoring 91. Mohammad, who died in August this year, went on to score an epic 337 in 970 minutes — still the longest innings in Test cricket history.
Ahmed’s death means that middle-order batsman Waqar Hasan is now the only surviving member of Pakistan’s first Test team.
“This is a sad day for Pakistan cricket,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said in a statement.
“Losing another legend after Hanif Mohammad in the same year is a great loss to Pakistan’s cricket. The entire cricketing fraternity, in this country, is in sorrow over the sad demise of Imtiaz Ahmed. He was a great gentleman and will be missed.”
Ahmed notably took seven catches off the pace bowling of Fazal Mehmood’s bowling to help Pakistan beat England at the Oval in 1954.
He served as chief selector from 1976-78 and was a consultant for the PCB’s women’s cricket activities from 2005-08.
Pakistan to sue India over bilateral Test deal
Pakistan cricket chiefs have said they will sue India for failing to honor a 2014 deal to play a bilateral Test series.
The Pakistan Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India signed an agreement under which the South Asian rivals were due to play six series between 2015 and 2023, subject to clearance from the Indian government.
There has been no Test cricket between the two nations since 2007. Bilateral cricket ties were severed in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan.
Under the agreement India was to tour Pakistan in 2015, with Pakistan visiting its neighbor in 2017.
But the BCCI backed out from playing Pakistan — even in a neutral venue — saying New Delhi would not allow it amid strained relations.
“Two series have been defaulted,” said PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan. “We will write to BCCI and if they don’t respond then we will take the legal course as we demand compensation.”
The PCB’s executive committee chairman Najam Sethi said Pakistan was missing out financially, losing up to $200 million on four of the six series it was meant to host.
The two countries have come close to war since September’s assault on a military base in Indian-administered Kashmir, again blamed on militants from Pakistan.
Last month the International Cricket Council docked India six women’s championship match points after failing to play against Pakistan.
“We were awarded full points after India failed to give any proof of government’s objection (in writing) and that’s why ICC took that action, so after that we are preparing that case,” said Khan.
Pakistan toured India for a short five-match limited over series, but it failed to restore full bilateral ties. — Agencies
