Pakistan mourns cricket pioneer Khan Mohammad by AFP

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Player:

Khan Mohammad

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DateLine: 6th July 2009

 

Pakistan on Monday mourned the death of Khan Mohammad, one of its cricketing pioneers, who bowled the first delivery and took the first wicket in the country's inaugural Test match.

 

Mohammad died aged 81 in England on Sunday after battling prostate cancer.

 

"Cricket has lost another valuable asset," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said in a statement. "Mohammad was Pakistan's outstanding fast bowler of the 1950s and a gentleman cricketer."

 

A skilled paceman, Mohammad bowled the first delivery in Pakistan's inaugural Test, against India in Delhi in October 1952.

 

He also took the first wicket when he dismissed Pankaj Roy in the same match, which India won by an innings and 70 runs.

 

Mohammad formed a lethal pair with Fazal Mahmood, taking 54 wickets in the 13 Tests he played for Pakistan. After retiring, he took up coaching jobs in England and settled there.

 

"Mohammad was a very good paceman and a great colleague and with his death Pakistan has lost a pioneer of the game," said Hanif Mohammad, one of the four survivors of that first Test.

 

Another surviving teammate, Imtiaz Ahmed, praised Mohammad's warm personality.

 

"He was a friend of friends and a great player who served cricket in its nascent stages," said Ahmed, a former wicket-keeper.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)