Cricket legend Hanif Muhammad hospitalised in critical condition

The 81-year-old was transferred to a private hospital at 10PM yesterday where he is currently under intensive care. This was confirmed by his son Shoaib Muhammad.

Hanif Mohammad was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago and underwent surgery in London which helped bring it under control, but the cancer spread with time and it has been reappeared.

Shoaib said that the condition is critical  and asked for prayers from the nation. He appealed to the government for assistance as his family will not be able to afford the expensive treatment.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of the condition of Hanif Muhammad and assured that the government will bear all expensive for the treatment of the cricketer.

“LITTLE MASTER”

The ‘Little Master’ Hanif Muhammad was born on 21st Dec, 1934 in Junagadh (present-day India) and has played played 55 Test matches for Pakistan between 1952-53 and 1969-70 with an average of 43.98 which comprised twelve hundreds.

He was the first star of Pakistan cricket and turned the sport into a mass sport which it is today. At his peak, Hanif was considered one of the best batsmen in the world, but was infamous for his defence and never hitting the ball in the air.

The highest of his Test centuries was a famous 337 made against West Indies in a six-day test at Bridgetown in 1957/58 where he stood on the crease for a record sixteen hours which remains the longest innings in the history of Pakistan.

The next year he made the highest first-class innings to that point, 499 run out. The record stood for more than 35 years before being passed by Brian Lara in 1994.

He was the jack of all trades, and the master of none. He could bowl with either arm, and kept wicket on a number of occasions. He is also known to have played the slowest test innings when he scored 20 off 223 balls at a strike rate of 8.968

Hanif was the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968. In January 2009 he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.