Lahore: Former Pakistan’s master leg-spinner Abdul Qadir died in Lahore Friday after suffering from a massive cardiac arrest, his family confirmed. Qadir was 63 years old and is survived by his wife, four sons and a daughter who is married to current Pakistan star batsman Umar Akmal.
Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Kamran Akmal, Umar’s elder brother, confirmed the tragic news about Qadir suffering a cardiac arrest and after being rushed to a hospital, was declared dead on arrival. He would have celebrated his 64th birthday September 15.
“It is a great loss to Pakistan cricket because it was Qadir bhai’s leg-spin magic and artistry that inspired a generation of young leg-spin bowlers in Pakistan and around the cricket world,” former Pakistan leg-break bowler Danish Kaneria said.
Qadir, who remained a critic of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s policies till the end, worked as chief selector in 2009 and it was the squad that was selected by him that went on to win the ICC World T20 in England.
Qadir had resigned midway through the tournament as chief selector after having differences with the erstwhile PCB chairman Ejaz Butt over the non-selection of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
Always a colourful character, Qadir was a favourite of Pakistan’s World Cup winning captain turned prime minister, Imran Khan and he produced some of his best performances under Imran’s captaincy taking 9/56 in a Test against West Indies at Faisalabad.