Latest News
Former Pakistan batter Wazir Mohammad dies at 95
Wazir Mohammad, the eldest of Pakistan’s famous Mohammad brothers, has died. He was 95 years old.
Wazir played 20 Tests for Pakistan in the earliest years of their international cricket history, the least of Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq.Raees, now the eldest of the brothers, didn’t play a Test for Pakistan. Hanif passed away in 2016.
As a lower-middle order batter, Wazir’s average of 27.62 does little justice to his impact in some of Pakistan’s most celebrated performances in the 1950s, when they arrived as a Test-playing nation in such style. His career first-class average of 40 was much more reflective of his value, though Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Wazir’s Test captain, was long an admirer.
The most seminal contribution came in the Oval Test win of 1954, when Pakistan became the first side to win a Test on their first tour of England (and drew the series 1-1). Though Fazal Mahmood was the hero with 12 wickets, he would not have had a total to defend had it not been for Wazir’s resistance in the second innings.
Pakistan were only 85 runs ahead, with two wickets in hand, when Wazir (in at No. 8) put on 58 with Zulfiqar Ahmed and then another 24 for the last wicket with Mahmood Hussain. Wazir ended unbeaten on a four-hour 42, having doubled Pakistan’s score with the last two wickets. Pakistan won ultimately by 24 runs.
A couple of years later in Karachi, he put on 104 with captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar with Pakistan 70 for 5 against Australia. His 67 was the game’s second-highest score as Pakistan won by nine wickets.
His finest individual performance came, however, in the Caribbean in 1957-58. That series is better remembered for Garry Sobers’ then world-record 365, as well as Hanif’s own epic rearguard 337 (in which he had a century stand with Wazir). But Wazir made 440 runs, with two hundreds and an unbeaten 97. The first of the hundreds was, until 1967, Pakistan’s fastest Test hundred. His more sedate 189 in the final Test at Port of Spain secured Pakistan a win, which meant that they had won at least one match on each of their first three tours in Test cricket, inside their first decade of playing.
He would only play four more Tests after that one as, at the turn of the decade, a new crop of talent began to push for spots. One of those was his own younger brother Mushtaq, whom he played alongside on the latter’s debut (Hanif, otherwise a regular, missed that match while Mushtaq became the youngest ever Test player).
Wazir, affectionately known as ‘Wisden’ for his encyclopaedic knowledge of cricket stats and trivia, continued playing first-class cricket until 1964. In his last innings, in that season’s Quaid-e-Azam trophy final, he made 23 as Karachi Whites fell 18 runs short of chasing down 333. Like Mushtaq, he had long ago settled near Birmingham in England.
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
IMF Executive Board approves US$206 Million in Emergency Financial Support for Sri Lanka
The IMF Executive Board approved emergency financing under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), providing Sri Lanka with immediate access to SDR 150.5 million (about US$206 million,
equivalent to 26 percent of quota) to help Sri Lanka address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability.
In response to severe weather impacts, the Sri Lanka Navy conducted a diving and technical assistance operation on Friday (19 Dec 25) to clear major debris obstructing vital infrastructure.
Heavy rainfall caused a significant rise in the water level of the Mahaweli River, washed large quantities of debris, including logs and bamboo, downstream. These remain lodged in the Diyakapanathota in Gatambe, Peradeniya and Lewella bridges, obstructing the smooth flow of water.
Acting promptly upon request, a Navy diving team executed a coordinated operation in collaboration with the Road Development Authority. The team removed the accumulated debris, restoring normal water flow through the bridges.
Latest News
Landslide early warnings issued to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended till 8AM on Sunday (21)
The Landslide Early Warning Centre of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has extended the Landslide Early Warning issued to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya till 08:00AM on Sunday (21st December 2025)
The LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Medadumbara, Doluwa, Ududumbara and Minipe in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna, Hanguranketha, Mathurata and
Walapane have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have also been issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Passara, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Lunugala and Kandeketiya in the Badulla district, Thumpane, Harispattuwa, Udapalatha, Kundasale, Akurana, Poojapitiya, Udunuwara, Pathadumbara, Pasbage Korale, Gangawata Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Yatinuwara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Panvila, Pathahewaheta and Deltota in the Kandy district, Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Matale, Ambanganga Korale, Rattota, Pallepola, Wilgamuwa, Yatawatta and Laggala Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara-Eliya in the Nuwara-Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Haputhale, Haldummulla, Ella and
Bandarawela in the Badulla district, Alawwa, Mallawapitiya,
Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kurunegala district, and Kothmale East, Ambagamuwa Korale, Kothmale West, Thalawakele and Norwood in the Nuwara-Eliya district.
IMF Executive Board approves US$206 Million in Emergency Financial Support for Sri Lanka
Navy clears major bridge obstructions in Peradeniya and Lewella
Landslide early warnings issued to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended till 8AM on Sunday (21)
Trump says US launched large-scale attacks on ISIL in Syria
Showers will occur in the Eastern, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva and Central provinces and in Polonnaruwa district
PM says govt. will introduce a new Constitution to abolish executive presidency
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Midweek Review4 days agoHow massive Akuregoda defence complex was built with proceeds from sale of Galle Face land to Shangri-La
-
Features7 days agoWhy Sri Lanka Still Has No Doppler Radar – and Who Should Be Held Accountable
-
News3 days agoPakistan hands over 200 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Lanka
-
News3 days agoPope fires broadside: ‘The Holy See won’t be a silent bystander to the grave disparities, injustices, and fundamental human rights violations’
-
Latest News7 days agoLandslide early warnings in force in the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
-
News4 days agoBurnt elephant dies after delayed rescue; activists demand arrests
-
Features7 days agoSrima Dissanayake runs for president and I get sidelined in the UNP
-
Editorial7 days agoDisaster relief and shocking allegations