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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Chadha, others wouldn't have left AAP had it followed 'right' path: Anna Hazare
Mumbai (PTI): Social activist Anna Hazare has said Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members would not have quit the party had it followed the "right" path.
"Everyone has the right to hold an opinion in a democracy. They (Chadha and others) must have faced some trouble, which is why they left," Hazare told reporters on Friday in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra.
AAP Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak addressed a joint press conference in Delhi on Friday, announcing their exit from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to join the BJP.
Chadha claimed that nearly two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha members had quit the party and would function as a separate faction.
"It is their (AAP leadership’s) fault. Had that party followed the right way, they would not have left," Hazare said.
Hazare reiterated that Chadha and others must have faced difficulties within AAP, and that is why they left. "Had the party gone in the right direction, they would not have quit the party," he added.
"There must be some or the other reason (for their leaving AAP). In a democracy, every person has a view about where to stay and leave," Hazare said.
The Chadha-led exodus marks a significant setback for the Kejriwal-led party since its formation in 2012, which followed the momentum of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement.
