Legendary Pakistan Batsman Hanif Mohammad Dies After Battling Cancer

Legendary Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad died on Thursday after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. He was 81.

A spokesman for the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was being treated, confirmed the former Pakistan skipper's death.

"He was in Intensive Care Unit and on a ventilator for respiratory problems and passed away today," he said. Hanif, had earlier in the day, been declared clinically dead for around six minutes before he was revived back to life.

Hanif's son Shoaib Mohammad had first announced from the hospital on various television channels that his father had passed away after losing a protracted battle with various ailments.

But few minutes later it was clarified that Hanif was still alive.

"His heartbeat had stopped for six minutes but the doctors managed to revive his heartbeat back," Shoaib said. But after a few hours, Shoaib also confirmed that his father was no more.

"He fought hard with his ailments and he was very sick for the last few years since he was diagnosed with lung cancer four years back," Shoaib told PTI.

"Our family is distraught but we only ask his fans and supporters to pray for him that God grant him a place in heaven. He was in a lot of pain the last few weeks but didn't give up such was his fighting nature," Shoaib, himself a former Test batsman, said.

Hanif was admitted to the hospital on July 30 after respiratory problems and was then put on a ventilator and shifted to intensive care unit. Hanif was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and went to London for surgery and returned home well but his condition deteriorated in time as the cancer spread in his body.

Hanif was a member of Pakistan's first touring Test squad that went to India in 1954/55 and went on to play 55 Tests scoring a memorable 337 runs against the West Indies in 1957/58. It remains the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years).

In his 55-Test career, Hanif amassed 3915 runs at an average of 43.98, including 12 hundreds. In a first-class career spanning 238 matches, Hanif scored 17059 runs at an average of 52.32.

The Pakistan Cricket Board and former Pakistan players expressed their condolences.

"We are saddened by the death of (the) legendary Hanif and it's a great loss to world cricket in general and Pakistan cricket in particular as he was an icon who served the country in its early years," said a PCB message.

Former Pakistan paceman Wasim Akram said he was saddened by Mohammad's death.

"He was seen as the pioneer of Pakistan cricket and his death has left a big void...as he was always willing to pass his advice to youngsters and I also benefited from him in my early days," Wasim told AFP.

(With inputs from PTI/AFP)