Former Pakistan captain Saeed Ahmed passes away
Lahore (PTI): Saeed Ahmed, the former Pakistan Test captain and a dashing batsman of his time, passed away here after leading a largely reclusive life away from cricket since his retirement. He was 86.
Ahmed played 41 Test matches, scoring 2,991 runs with five centuries and 16 half-centuries. He also took 22 wickets with his off-spin bowling.
Ahmed made his Test debut against the West Indies during the famous drawn Bridgetown Test in 1958 when he was 20 and played his last Test for Pakistan in Melbourne against Australia during the 1972-73 tour.
However, his Pakistan career had an undignified end during that tour.
The Pakistan board believed that Ahmed faked a back injury to avoid playing against Dennis Lillee on a green top at Sydney after his altercation with the pacer in that Melbourne Test.
Ahmed was subsequently recalled from the tour on disciplinary grounds and he was never selected for Pakistan again.
But before that Ahmed was known for his elegance, particularly those drives down the ground, and penchant for big scores.
In his debut Test against the Windies, Saeed featured in a 150-plus runs partnership with Hanif Muhammad, who made his historic 337 in the second innings to help Pakistan walk away with a draw.
Muhammad batted for 970 minutes during that knock, while Ahmed made a resolute 65.
He was Pakistan's sixth Test captain and replaced Muhammad as skipper of the side during England's tour of Pakistan in 1969. He only led Pakistan for three Tests and all were drawn.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqv said: "The entire cricketing fraternity is saddened over the demise of one of our former Test captains. We are conveying our deep condolences to the family of Saeed Ahmed.
"He served Pakistan with all his heart and the PCB honours his record and services for the Test team."
Saeed's half-brother, Younus Ahmed, also played four Tests for Pakistan. He was called up by Imran Khan to the 1987 tour of India and played in a Test.
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Bangladesh's interim govt revokes ousted PM Sheikh Hasina's passport
Dhaka, Jan 7: Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday said it has revoked the passport of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 96 others over their alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and the July killings.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 last year when she fled Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that toppled her Awami League's (AL) 16-year regime.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.
Addressing a press briefing here, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said, "The Passports Department cancelled passports of 22 people involved in enforced disappearances, while passports of 75 people, including Sheikh Hasina, were revoked due to their involvement in the July killings.”
He, however, did not reveal the names of the remaining individuals whose passports were cancelled, the state-run BSS news agency reported.
