Legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir dies

LAHORE: Pakistan’s former leg-spin legend Abdul Qadir Friday passed away here after a cardiac arrest.

Confirming Qadir’s death, Test cricketer Kamran Akmal, whose brother is married to Qadir's daughter, said the legendary cricketer passed away due to heart attack. His last rites will be carried out after his sons Imran Qadir and Usman Qadir, who are playing league cricket in England and Australia will reach back.

“Our legend star Abdul Qadir is no more with us quite shocking news for all of us,” Akmal tweeted. The 67-year-old was born in Lahore in 1955. He was regarded one of the best leg-spinners of his time, taking 236 wickets in 67 Test matches and 132 wickets in just 104 One Day Internationals (ODIs).

He later served as chief selector for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as well as a match commentator. Khan’s son Salman Qadir informed that he was shifted to Services Hospital after the heart attack but he could not survive.

Known as the dancing bowler due to his peculiar bowling style, Abdul Qadir played his first Test against England at Lahore on Dec 14, 1977 and first ODI against New Zealand at Birmingham on Jun 11, 1983.

He played his last international Test against West Indies at Lahore on Dec 6, 1990, while his last ODI was against Sri Lanka at Sharjah on Nov 2, 1993. The man who revived the art of legspin bowling and an integral part of Pakistan's most successful sides in the 1980s and a valuable mentor to Shane Warne and Mushtaq Ahmed among others, left for eternity nine days short of his next birthday. Qadir worked with Pakistan cricket in several capacities after his playing career was over and ran a private academy just outside the Gaddafi Stadium. "PCB is shocked at the news of maestro Abdul Qadir’s passing and has offered its deepest condolences to his family and friends," the PCB tweeted.