Pak spin maestro Abdul Qadir dies of cardiac arrest

Karachi, September 6

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Pakistan cricket great Abdul Qadir, who revived the art of leg-spin bowling, has died at the age of 63, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

Pakistan media reported that he died of cardiac arrest. Qadir made his Pakistan debut in 1977 in Lahore and went on to play 67 Tests and 104 ODIs, claiming a total of 368 wickets. “PCB is shocked at the news of ‘maestro’ Abdul Qadir’s passing and has offered its deepest condolences to his family and friends,” PCB wrote on its twitter handle.

Qadir was an influential figure in Pakistan’s most successful teams in the 1980s and later a mentor to the next generation of leg-spinners, including Shane Warne and  Mushtaq Ahmed. After retiring from the sport, he served as the chief selector for Pakistan. “They called him the magician for many reasons but when he looked me in the eyes and told me I was going to play for Pakistan for the next 20 years, I believed him. A magician, absolutely. A leg-spinner and a trailblazer of his time. You will be missed Abdul Qadir but never forgotten,” former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram said. 

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar expressed his gratitude towards Qadir for backing his selection when he was the head of the panel in 2009. “I would forever remain indebted to Qadir bhai as he supported me in 2009. He fought for my comeback even when I wasn’t fully fit as he believed that I can win matches for Pakistan,” Akhtar said. — Agencies