Pakistan cricket’s all-time great Hanif Mohammad – who played some glorious innings to help the country emerge as a formidable cricket playing nation in the first two decades after independence, passed away Thursday after protracted illness.
As news broke out of his passing away, tributes poured in from leaders and top cricketers including Zaheer Abbas, the Asian Bradman, who said he drew inspiration from Hanif Mohammad. The International Cricket Council, paying tribute to the legendary batsman, called him one of the greatest cricketers.
Mohammad had been suffering from lungs cancer and was under treatment in a Karachi hospital. He was born in former Indian state Junagadh on December 21, 1934.
Interestingly, Hanif Mohammad was trained by Abdul Aziz, an Afghani cricket player, who had earlier played in Ranji Trophy for Jamnagar.
He made his debut in a Test match against India in New Delhi in 1952 as a batsman, and capped his career in a match against New Zealand in 1969. He became famous for his technique and patience as opening batsman.
During his 17-year career, the cricketer played 55 Test matches, piling up a total of 3915 runs.
Hanif Mohammad’s best performance was against West Indies in a six-day test at Bridgetown in 1957/58 when he piled up a marathon score of 337 runs, and batted for 970 minutes.
The batsman cricketer helped Pakistan draw the match and avoid a certain defeat . This was the only Test match instance of a triple century in a team’s second innings until it was equaled by New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum against India in 2014.
The performance earned him the title of “Little Master.” He was also called the man with nerves of steel for his ability to stay at the crease for long hours against some of the best bowlers.
In 1958/59, he surpassed Australian great Don Bradman’s record for the highest individual first-class innings. He made 499 before being run out attempting his five hundredth run; this mark stood for more than 35 years before being passed by Brian Lara in 1994.
In all Mohammad made 55 first-class centuries and finished with a strong first-class career average of 52.32. He could bowl with either arm.
His young brother Sadiq Mohammad captained Pakistan to several memorable victories, while Mohammad’s son Shoaib Mohammad also played as an opening batsman for the country.
Hanif Mohammad was named Wisden’s Cricketer of the Year in 1968 and in January 2009 he was named along with two other Pakistani players, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad among the inaugural batch of 55 inductees into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
