Wazir Mohammad, the venerable patriarch of Pakistan's most storied cricketing family and the last living witness to the nation's inaugural Test match, died on Monday at the age of 95, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced. A middle-order stalwart who featured in 20 Tests from 1952 to 1959, Wazir amassed 801 runs at an average of 27.38, but his legacy transcends statistics. His clutch performances in Pakistan's early triumphs—against England, Australia, and the West Indies—cemented his role as a foundational figure in the country's cricketing lore. "My test record might not be very impressive, but it gives me a great sense of pride that I made vital contributions in most of Pakistan's maiden Test victories," Wazir reflected in a 2010 interview, encapsulating a career defined by grit rather than glamour.
Born on December 22, 1929, in Junagadh, British India, Wazir was the eldest of five brothers whose exploits would illuminate South Asian cricket for decades. The family—comprising Raees (who never played Tests), Hanif, Mushtaq, and Sadiq—fled to Karachi amid the 1947 Partition's chaos, a perilous sea voyage that Wazir later described as "an adventure" fraught with capsizing fears on an overloaded vessel. Settling in the bustling port city, Wazir honed his skills at the Pak Mughal Cricket Club, earning a spot in Pakistan's first Test squad for the 1952-53 tour of India under captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar.
Debuting in the third Test at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium, he opened alongside his brother Hanif, the 'Little Master', whose marathon 337 against the West Indies in 1958 remains a Test benchmark. Wazir's lone outing yielded modest returns, but it symbolised the family's ascent, with Hanif's three fifties foreshadowing his 55-Test, 3,915-run odyssey.
Wazir's understated brilliance shone in pivotal moments that etched Pakistan's name on the global map. At The Oval in 1954, his unbeaten 42—the top score in a meagre fourth-innings chase of 168—proved decisive in a 24-run victory over England, the visitors' first Test win on English soil, ably supported by Fazal Mahmood's 12-wicket haul. Employing cunning psychology, Wazir feigned a toe injury from Brian Statham's yorker to lure England's attack into predictable lengths on a rain-ruined pitch, a tactic he credited for easing his nerves.
Two years later in Karachi, his 67 anchored Pakistan's historic first triumph over Australia, while his 1958 West Indies tour yielded a career-best 189 in Port of Spain—part of a 154-run stand with Hanif—clinching a series first. Flanked by 106 in the third Test and an unbeaten 97 in the fourth, these knocks underscored his series-high 509 runs at 72.71, a testament to his adaptability against quicks like Wes Hall.
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The Mohammad dynasty's imprint endures through generations: Mushtaq's 57 tests and captaincy from 1976-77, Sadiq's 41 outings, and nephew Shoaib's 45 tests in the 1980s-90s, amassing over 2,700 runs. Wazir, ever the proud sibling, quipped in retirement, "Even during my playing days, I was often introduced as Hanif's elder brother. But I never felt embarrassed. Rather, I was proud of him." Retiring after a 1959 Lahore Test that marked Mushtaq's debut, Wazir transitioned to coaching and commentary, nurturing talents at Karachi's Mohammed Brothers Academy.
His passing closes a chapter on Pakistan's formative era, predating the 1970s isolation and 1990s scandals that tested the board's stewardship. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi lauded him as "a beacon of resilience," with tributes pouring in from the BCCI and ICC. As Pakistan prepares for the 2026 World Cup, Wazir's legacy—forged in Partition's ashes—reminds us of cricket's power to unite a fledgling nation's dreams.
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