Cricket icons we lost in 2024
Cricket
Nazir Junior, Saeed Ahmed, Khalid Ibadulla among the Pakistani players who departed in 2024
By Anees-ur-Rehman
The year 2024 witnessed the cricket world bid farewell to some of its beloved players and officials who left an indelible mark on the game.
Their contributions to cricket will be remembered for years to come.
Nazir Junior (Pakistan)
Born on March 8, 1946, in Rawalpindi, Nazir began his Test career on Oct 24, 1969, against New Zealand and played his final Test against Australia in December 1983. He represented Pakistan in 14 Tests and four ODIs.
A talented off-spinner, Nazir made history as the first bowler to take seven wickets in his maiden Test innings, finishing with figures of 7 for 99, and ended his Test career with 37 wickets. He made his ODI debut on Nov 21, 1980, against the West Indies, and played his last ODI on Jan 10, 1984, against Australia.
Nazir also left a mark in umpiring, officiating in 15 ODIs and five Test matches.
Shaharyar Khan (Pakistan)
Shaharyar Khan, born on Jan 19, 1937, was a former Pakistani cricketer and notable cricket administrator. He served as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2014 to 2018.
Under his leadership, Pakistan won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
Besides cricket, he also served as Pakistan's Ambassador to the US and the UK, making significant contributions to both diplomacy and cricket administration.
Saeed Ahmed (Pakistan)
Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Saeed Ahmed passed away on March 20, 2024 at the age of 86 in Lahore after a brief illness. Over his career, Ahmed played 41 Test matches for Pakistan between 1958 and 1973, accumulating 2,991 runs at an average of 40.41, including five centuries, three of which were against India.
He made his debut at the age of 20 against the West Indies, in the same match where Hanif Mohammad played his marathon innings of 337, lasting 970 minutes on the pitch.
Khalid Ibadulla (Pakistan)
New Zealand-based former Pakistani Test cricketer Khalid Ibadulla passed away on July 12, 2024 at the age of 88. Khalid represented Pakistan in four Test matches between 1964 and 1967 and made history as the first Pakistani batsman to score a century on his Test debut, achieving the feat in 1964 against Australia in the first Test played in Karachi.
Born on Dec 20, 1935, in Lahore, he was known as "Billy" in English cricket circles and had a long association with the English county Warwickshire.
Sajjad Akbar (Pakistan)
Sajjad Akbar played two ODIs for Pakistan in 1990. In addition to his brief international career, he made a significant impact in domestic cricket, playing 182 first-class matches.
Known for his skills on the field, Sajjad Akbar was also a level four coach, actively involved in coaching and nurturing young talent in domestic cricket.
He breathed his last on May 21, 2024.
Asim Khan (Netherlands)
Asim Khan was a cricketer of Pakistani origin who represented the Netherlands. He played 51 matches for the Dutch national team between 1994 and 2002, participating in two ICC Trophy tournaments in 1997 and 2001.
In the 1997 tournament, Khan achieved remarkable figures of 7/9 against East & Central Africa, a record for the best bowling performance by a Dutch player in the ICC Trophy.
Later, Khan also served as the assistant coach for the Netherlands' national Under-19 cricket team.
Graham Thorpe (England)
Graham Thorpe, born on Aug 1, 1969, in Portsmouth, England, was a prominent left-handed batsman who played for England from 1993 to 2005. Known for his solid technique and ability to play under pressure, Thorpe made his Test debut against Australia in 1993 and went on to represent England in 100 Tests, scoring over 6,000 runs, including 16 centuries.
Thorpe also played 82 ODIs, with a reputation for being a reliable middle-order batsman. After his playing career, he transitioned into coaching, sharing his wealth of experience with upcoming players.
Ian Redpath (Australia)
Former Australia batter Ian Redpath passed away at 83. Known for his resilience as an opener, Redpath played 66 Tests and five ODIs from 1964 to 1976. He narrowly missed a century on his Test debut, scoring 97 against South Africa.
His first century came in 1969 against the West Indies, followed by seven more, including a career-best 171 against England in 1970. He ended his career with three centuries in four innings in 1975-76.
Anshuman Gaekwad (India)
Former India cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, known for his roles as a player, coach, and selector, passed away at 71 after battling blood cancer. He played 40 Tests and 15 ODIs for India and received support from the BCCI and the 1983 World Cup team during his treatment in London.
Frank Duckworth (co-founder of Duckworth-Lewis method)
Frank Duckworth, co-creator of the Duckworth-Lewis method for rain-affected cricket matches, died at 84. Along with Tony Lewis, he developed the formula adopted by the ICC in 1999, later modified to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Duckworth’s inspiration came from the 1992 World Cup semi-final, where rain disrupted the game. His work, presented in a 1992 paper, became a significant contribution to both cricket and statistics, as noted by the Royal Statistical Society.
Jack Clarke (former Cricket Australia chairman)
Jack Clarke, the former chair of Cricket Australia, passed away at 70. A key figure in Australian cricket, Clarke served on the Cricket Australia board from 1999 to 2011, including three years as chair. During his tenure, the Big Bash League was launched (2008-2011), and he commissioned the Argus review after the 2010-11 Ashes defeat, which led to significant changes in the structure of CA's high-performance program.
Derek Leslie Underwood (England)
Derek Leslie Underwood was an English cricketer renowned as one of Test cricket's finest bowlers. Nicknamed 'Deadly' for his effectiveness on seaming wickets, the slow left-arm spinner took 297 Test and over 1,000 first-class wickets by age 25. A former MCC president, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
John Chaloner Alabaster (New Zealand)
John Chaloner Alabaster was a New Zealand cricketer who played 21 Tests between 1955 and 1972. A skilled leg-spinner, he was the only player to feature in New Zealand's first four Test victories. In domestic cricket, he represented Otago.
Frank Misson (Australia)
Former Australia and New South Wales fast bowler Frank Misson died at 85. He played five Tests, including the iconic 1960-61 series against the West Indies and the 1961 Ashes, taking 16 wickets with a best of 4/58. An Achilles injury ended his Test career, but he claimed 177 wickets in 71 first-class matches from 1958 to 1964.
Raman Subba Row (England)
Raman Subba Row, former England opener, ICC match referee, and cricket administrator, passed away at 92. He played 13 Tests from 1958 to 1961, scoring three centuries with an average of 46.85, before retiring at 29. He was England's oldest living men's Test cricketer before his death.
David Johnson (India)
Former Indian cricketer David Johnson, aged 52, tragically died after falling from the fourth-floor balcony of his apartment in Kothanur on June 20. In his playing days, Johnson was part of a strong Karnataka bowling lineup that included stars like Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, and Dodda Ganesh. He represented India in two Test matches and played 39 first-class games.
Dhammika Niroshana (Sri Lanka)
Former Sri Lanka Under-19 captain Dhammika Niroshana, 41, tragically passed away after being shot outside his home in Ambalangoda. An unidentified gunman opened fire, fatally wounding Niroshana. Niroshana, a talented fast bowler, captained Sri Lanka's Under-19 team in 2002 and played alongside future stars like Angelo Mathews and Upul Tharanga.
He retired from cricket in 2004, having represented Chilaw Marians CC and Galle CC in first-class cricket.
David Murray Quested (Umpire)
David Murray Quested (16 April 1946 – 6 August 2024) was a New Zealand cricket umpire. He officiated in five Test matches from 1995 to 2001 and 31 ODIs between 1992 and 2002. Notably, he umpired the final of the 2000 Women's Cricket World Cup, where New Zealand triumphed over Australia by four runs at Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
