Mohammad Nazir, former Pakistan offspinner and umpire, passes away

Mohammad Nazir, the former Pakistan offspinner and umpire, has passed away. Nazir jr, as he was also known, passed away in Lahore after a protracted illness. He was 78.

He played 14 Tests and four ODIs for Pakistan. Although the Tests were spread across 14 years, he was best remembered for the impact in his very first Test, against New Zealand in October 1969.

Playing in Karachi on a pitch which took spin from the start, Nazir picked up 7 for 99 in his very first innings. In addition, he scored a handy, unbeaten 29 with the bat, and was not out on 17 in the second innings as well. The Test was drawn, but proved to be a significant one, in that it was the great Hanif Mohammad’s last Test, and his younger brother Sadiq’s first.

“On behalf of the PCB, I express my condolences and grief over the demise of our former Test cricketer Mohammad Nazir,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said. “We extend our deepest sympathies, and share the grief of his friends and family. His contributions for Pakistan cricket will always be remembered.”

Despite being a consistent performer at domestic level, Nazir played only one more Test after his debut series until November 1980, when he was picked to play in a home series against West Indies. That was another high point; he dismissed Viv Richards three times in the series, including bowled twice. However, in the second Test, in Faisalabad, Nazir was hit for three successive sixes in an over by Sylvester Clarke. The 22 he conceded in that over was a Test record at the time.

Despite taking 16 wickets in the four Tests against West Indies, Nazir was dropped again and didn’t return until nearly three years later, in a series in India. In between, he kept taking wickets in domestic cricket: 86 in 1981-82, and 70 the year after that.

Nazir took the last of his three Test five-fors in Nagpur, but only played three Tests after that – all in Australia. He wasn’t on the winning side in a single one of his 14 Tests.

Nazir continued on the domestic circuit thereafter as he had always been before: a prolific wicket-taker. Unusually, he was a one-team man, playing for Pakistan Railways all the way through. He also looked pretty fit, taking 85 wickets in the 1985-86 season when he was on the cusp of turning 40. Nazir ended with 829 first-class wickets, at an enviable average of 19.26.

He became an international and a domestic umpire soon after he retired, standing in five Tests and 15 ODIs.