Lahore: Saeed Ahmed, the ex-Pakistan Test Captain and a stylish batsman in his era, died at the age of 86. He lived a mostly secluded life away from cricket after his retirement.
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.
At the age of 20, Ahmed played his first Test match for Pakistan against the West Indies in the famous drawn Bridgetown Test in 1958.
He was well-known for his impressive scores. In his debut Test against the Windies, Saeed featured in a 150-plus run partnership with Hanif Muhammad, who made his historic 337 in the second innings to help Pakistan walk away with a draw.
Hanif Muhammad batted for 970 minutes during that knock, while Ahmed made a resolute 65.
He played his final Test match for Pakistan against Australia in Melbourne during the 1972–73 tour. The Pakistan board thought that Ahmed had feigned a back injury during the tour to get out of playing Dennis Lillee on a green top in Sydney following his altercation with the pacer in that Melbourne Test.
Ahmed was never again chosen for Pakistan after he was later removed from the tour on disciplinary grounds.
[With inputs from PTI]