Mansoor Ahmed: A hero in life and death…..

Ex-goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed was a rock in goal post but for the past few months he was lying on the bed, fighting for his life. On Saturday afternoon he lost the ‘match of his life.’

For someone who broke many a hearts with his subtle and brave goal-keeping. Mansoor was fighting the battle of a weakened heart.  He had a pacemaker planted into his heart a few years back and seven stents but since last month he was complaining of various problems. His lungs had malfunctioned. He was rushed to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) where doctors had diagnosed a heart transplant.

“I am sure with a heart-transplant I will be a newly charged person, Mansoor told me on April 28. I tweeted an appeal and did a story. The response from across the border was overwhelming. FORTIS hospital offered a free heart transplant in Chennai and Mumbai. But doctors had warned Mansoor would not be able to travel. Yet he was very optimistic. Last Saturday he took my hand in his hands and took a promise. ‘Will you be able to get me visa to India and get me a new heart,’ he pleaded. I promised, little did I know that he doesn’t have Extra Time in the ‘match of his life.”

Read More: Pakistan hockey hero Mansoor Ahmed passes away

Mansoor was a friend of friends. A very kind person, straightforward, lively and adorable to the core. He will be missed, dearly. Mansoor was expressive and vocal, for it was not in his nature to accept any wrong behavior and that’s why he played on his terms. A 238 match career was as glittering, as it was memorable. He won medals at the Asian Games, World Cup and the Champions trophy.   An Olympic medal eluded him and the closest he came was in 1992 when Pakistan won a bronze.

Mansoor was a brave goal-keeper.  He won many a matches for Pakistan through his brave and agile goal-keeping, the most prominent being the final of 1994 World Cup Hockey in Sydney. The scenes are still etched in our memories.  Our famous commentator Farooq Mazhar on television, “Mansoor ready, Richarad Delmee is also ready to take the final push, Delmee pushes, Mansoor saves…… Pakistan has won the World Cup.”

The worst phase of Mansoor’s life was a court case against him in early 2002. He was jailed on a silver theft case in Pakistan Customs warehouse, a charge he always denied. Even in jail he remained lively, always saying that why should he feel remorseful for something he had never done?  But that jail term demoralized him and his health suffered since then.

Mansoor did try his hand at coaching and groomed a few goal-keepers. He wanted to return to the country what he gained from it but his life was short. He will always be remembered for his brilliant and adamant goal-keeping.

Mansoor was a hero to the core and he died as a hero…..