Legendary Pakistan Batter Wazir Mohammad Passes Away at 95

ES Mag :

Former Pakistan Test batter Wazir Mohammad passed away on Monday at the age of 95, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

According to ESPNCricinfo, the right-hander was born in Junagadh in 1929, and his siblings included renowned cricketers Hanif, Mushtaq and Raees Mohammad.

“One of the four Mohammad brothers to represent Pakistan in Test cricket, he featured in 20 matches for his country from 1952 to 1959,” the PCB wrote in a post on X, extending its condolences.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his condolences to Mohammad’s family in a statement, paying tribute to the batter’s services to Test cricket.

“Wazir Mohammad was a good batsman and an extremely refined human being,” Naqvi was quoted as saying, offering prayers for the family.

‘A guiding light’

In Pakistan’s early days, a group of brothers used to play cricket in the compound of a temple at Karachi’s Haji Camp. All five of them, who had migrated to the city from Junagadh in India, were right-handed batters and each highly talented, but the eldest brother wished for one of them to be a left-hander.

“One fine day, he told me, ‘We don’t have a left-hander in our family, why don’t you become one?’“ former Pakistan Test player Sadiq Mohammad narrated to Dawn.com about his brother Wazir on Monday.

“And then I did,” continues Sadiq. “I used to get five chances while others got only one. ‘Bat left-handed hamesha (always),’ he would say.”

The oldest member of Pakistan’s first-ever Test team, that was the level of respect Wazir demanded as not only a brother, but also later on in his short but celebrated cricket career. A lower-order batter himself, he went on to play 20 Tests for Pakistan between 1952-59.

His 801 runs at a meagre average of 27.62 in Tests is a classic case of statistics being untruthful, with his 40.40 in 160 First Class matches fighting his case.

One of the standout achievements of Wazir’s career, in fact, remains his four-hour-long unbeaten knock of 42 in the 1954 Oval Test, which became Pakistan’s maiden win in England.

His century partnership with the country’s first Test captain, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, in 1956-57 got Pakistan their first win against Australia. Wazir was also the national side’s only century-maker in the 1957-58 win against the West Indies, Pakistan’s maiden against the then great side.

“He scored that against a star-studded West Indies bowling attack featuring Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith,” Sadiq said. “He was such a strong personality and he had waited for the opportunity to save Pakistan. He was a very organised cricketer.”

Sadiq added how Wazir’s immense knowledge of the laws of the game made him a trusted associate for Kardar.

“Wazir bhai had a big impact [on Pakistan cricket] as he knew all laws of the game,” he said. “He guided Kardar on numerous occasions when the captain had any confusion about the rules.”

As per ESPNCricinfo, in the Kingston Test of 1957-58, when Garry Sobers made the record score of 365, the crowd stormed the ground. A patch of the pitch was damaged to the extent that a crater developed. The West Indian declaration arrived at the same time, meaning Pakistan had an awkward 90 minutes to bat that day.

Wazir told Kardar to tell the umpires that, as per the laws of the game, the wicket was not suitable for batting since the wear and tear was not due to natural reasons. The umpires initially showed reluctance to accept Pakistan’s viewpoint, but eventually, after consulting the rule book, they agreed.

As an elder brother, Sadiq said, Wazir was a guiding light. “He used to calm us down, he taught us how, when and when not to take panga (fight) with opponent players. And if we did, he guided us [on] how to handle it.”

Wazir also served as an advisor to the PCB after his retirement before moving to the United Kingdom. His cricketing aptitude and grip over the game’s laws may have been an effect of his disciplined lifestyle.

“He was a very disciplined person; from his childhood till he fell ill recently, he used to sleep as early as nine in the night,” Sadiq said.

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