LAHORE: Former Pakistan spinner Abdul Qadir, credited for reviving the art of leg-spin bowling in the 1970s and 80s, died of a heart attack in his hometown Lahore, on Friday.
“My father never had a heart problem so it was sudden and shocking that he suffered a severe attack and could not survive,” his son Salman Qadir said.
Qadir, who would have turned 64 on September 15, was one of the favourites of former captain and now Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The legendary cricketer played his first Test against England in Lahore on Dec 14, 1977 and first ODI against New Zealand in Birmingham on Jun 11, 1983.
He played his last international Test against West Indies in Lahore on Dec 6, 1990, while his last ODI was against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Nov 2, 1993. He also served as the chief selector of Pakistan team.
He took 236 wickets in Test matches throughout his international career — with a best of 9-65 against England in 1987. These figures are still the best by a Pakistan bowler in a Test innings.
He also took 132 wickets in 104 ODIs, with then skipper Imran Khan using him as an attacking weapon in the 1983 World Cup held in England.
Qadir’s unique dancing action was as attractive as it was destructive, spinning the ball prodigiously and had a lethal googly and a flipper.
Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne — the second-highest Test wicket-taker with 708 (only behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800) — was also a big fan of Qadir.
The Pakistan Cricket Board offered its deepest condolences to Khan’s family and friends.
“The PCB is shocked at the news of ‘maestro’ Abdul Qadir’s passing and has offered its deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Prime Minister Imran and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed their “heartfelt grief” on the demise of the cricket legend.
“The COAS expresses heartfelt grief on demise of cricket legend Abdul Qadir,” DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Abdul Ghafoor tweeted.
“Pakistan has lost a great sportsman and a human being. May Allah bless his soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen,” he quoted the COAS as saying.
In his statement, Prime Minister Imran said Pakistani cricket had lost a great asset.
Former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif and Waqar Younis also said that Qadir’s death was “a great loss of Pakistan cricket”.
“We have lost a great man who was an institution in himself,” said Wasim who played alongside Qadir in the 1980s.