Former Pakistan cricketer Ibadulla passes away at 88

LAHORE: Former Pakistan cricketer Billy Ibadulla has passed away at the age of 88. He played four Tests for Pakistan. Ibadulla made his Test debut against Australia in Karachi in 1964. His exceptional performance in this debut match saw him achieve a significant milestone, becoming the first Pakistani batsman to score a century on his Test debut, amassing an impressive 166 runs in the first innings.

Beyond his Test achievements, Ibadulla excelled in first-class cricket, amassing a remarkable 17,078 runs at an average of 27.28 and claiming 462 wickets at 30.96. He represented Warwickshire in 377 first-class matches for over a decade.

In List A cricket, Ibadulla’s contributions were equally noteworthy, with 829 runs and 84 wickets to his name in 64 matches. Ibadulla ventured into umpiring, officiating in 20 first-class matches and 12 List A games. Later he ran a private coaching clinic in New Zealand. The PCB said in a statement it was deeply saddened by the passing of the former cricketer.