PARIS:

Wazir Mohammad, the last surviving link to the start of Pakistan’s journey as a Test nation, has died at the age of 95, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Monday.

Over the course of 20 Tests between 1952 and 1959, he only scored 801 runs as a middle-order batsman at an average of just over 27 but he played key roles in three of Pakistan’s earliest benchmark wins.

“My Test record might not be very impressive but it gives me a great sense of pride that I made vital contributions in most of Pakistan’s maiden Test victories,” he said in an interview in 2010.

He was the eldest of five cricketing brothers, four of whom played Test cricket.

The PCB paid tribute to former Test batter Wazir Mohammad by posting on social media, “The PCB is deeply saddened by the passing of former Pakistan Test batter Wazir Mohammad. One of the four Mohammad brothers to represent Pakistan in Test cricket, he featured in 20 matches for his country from 1952 to 1959. The PCB extends its heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

Born in Junagadh, India, on December 22, 1929, Wazir was soon joined by Raees, the only brother not to play for Pakistan, Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq.

The partition of India in 1947 prompted the family to pack up and move to Karachi.

“The migration to Pakistan was an adventure,” recalled Wazir.

“My father, an uncle and I came before the rest of the family by sea. The small ship was overloaded and very unstable. All the time we feared the vessel might capsize.”

Wazir joined the Pak Mughal Cricket Club in Karachi and when Pakistan was granted Test status in 1952, he was named in the squad for a three-Test tour of India under the captaincy of Abdul Hafeez Kardar.

He played just the one Test, the third in Brabourne, while his brother Hanif Mohammed played all five as opener and wicketkeeper, scoring three fifties and laying the foundation for a career of epic status.

Hanif became known as the ‘Little Master’ with a Test highest of 337 and a first-class best of 499 for Karachi, a world record total only since exceeded by Brian Lara.

“Even during my playing days, I was often introduced as Hanif’s elder brother,” Wazir said.

“But I never felt embarrassed. Rather I was proud of him.”

In fact Wazir played his part in both of those defining innings, sharing century partnerships with his brother on each occasion.

– West Indies century –

The first of Wazir’s three key innings for Pakistan came at The Oval in 1954 when his watchful 42 not out, the highest individual score in a low-scoring game, enabled Pakistan to scratch enough of a total to defend in the fourth innings.

Fazal Mahmood cleaned up with 12 wickets in the match to secure a 24-run win, making Pakistan the first team to win a Test on their maiden tour of England.

During the course of the innings he used a ruse to fool the English field. After Brian Statham hit him on the toe, he exaggerated the injury, limping between balls making it seem worse than it was.

This encouraged wicketkeeper Godfrey Evans to tell Len Hutton, the England captain, to instruct the quick bowlers to keep aiming for yorkers in order to unsettle Wazir.

“The uncovered wicket had been badly affected by rain and even good-length balls were popping up awkwardly,” said Wazir.

“The yorkers were easier to play. I continued pretending my foot was in great pain. It all helped me settle down and score.”

His first innings 67 in Karachi in 1956 played a major role in Pakistan’s first win over Australia.

And in March 1958, he made 189 in the fifth Test in Port of Spain, sharing a partnership of 154 with brother Hanif, to set up Pakistan’s first win in the West Indies.

This was the culmination of his finest series as he also made 106 in the third Test and 97 not out in the fourth.

His penultimate Test in Lahore in March 1959 marked the debut of another of his brothers Mushtaq Mohammed who would go on to play 57 Tests and captain Pakistan.

Youngest brother Sadiq Mohammad only played the first of his 41 Tests in 1969 while nephew Shoaib Mohammad, son of Hanif, took Pakistan’s greatest cricket dynasty into a new generation, playing 45 Tests and 63 one-day internationals in the 1980s and 90s.