KARACHI: Legendary Test cricketer and former Pakistan captain Hanif Mohammad passed away late on Thursday afternoon after a long battle against liver cancer. He was 81.

Shoaib Mohammad, the eldest son of the late cricketer, confirmed to the media at around 4.25pm that his father, who had been on a ventilator after developing respiratory complications for the past one week, died in the intensive care unit of the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). He was admitted to the AKUH about two weeks ago following recurrence of the cancer.

Two and a half hours before Shoaib confirmed the death, he told the electronic media that Hanif had been declared clinically dead when his heartbeat stopped but it was restored six minutes later when doctors performed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation to make him breathe again.

In 2013, Hanif underwent liver surgery in England. But his heath continued to deteriorate as the cancer spread to other parts of his body.

Namaz-i-Janaza will be offered after Friday prayers at Masjid-i-Nomani in Al Hilal Society near Askari Park [Old Sabzi Mandi] and he will be buried at the PECHS graveyard, Tariq Road.

Widely regarded as the greatest batsman of Pakistan during the country’s early years in international cricket, Hanif was one of four out of five brothers who all played Test cricket for the country. Shoaib too played Test matches for Pakistan.

Hanif’s eldest brother Wazir and younger ones — Mushtaq and Sadiq Mohammad — represented Pakistan at the international level, while his second elder brother Raees played first-class cricket and was designated the 12th man in a Test match.

His late mother Ameer Bee was a national badminton champion in pre-partition India.

At the time of his death, Hanif’s wife Shamshad Begum, sons Shoaib and Shahzeb, daughter Seema and brothers Raees and Sadiq were present at the hospital. Mushtaq is due to arrive from England today (Friday).

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2016