Pakistan cricket legend Hanif Mohammad is alive, confirms his son Shoaib

Legendary Pakistan cricketer Hanif Mohammad died on Thursday in Karachi after suffering from lung cancer.

Legendary Pakistan cricketer Hanif Mohammad is still alive, his son Shoaib Mohammad said on Thursday, dispelling reports of his death.

File photo of Pakistan batting great Hanif Mohammad from May 1954. The original ‘Little Master” is suffering from cancer and fighting for his life in Karachi. (Getty Images)

Shoaib was quoted by Radio Pakistan as saying that his father’s heartbeat had stopped for a few minutes before being restored.

The 81-year-old cricketer is suffering from lung cancer. He was hospitalised after a two-week-long struggle breathing and chest congestion.

Earlier on Thursday, authorities at the hospital had declared the cricketer, popularly known as the ‘Little Master’, dead and this was widely reported by the Pakistani media.

Hanif played 55 Tests between 1952-53 and 1969-70, aggregating 3915 runs at an average of 43.98. He hit 12 centuries.

The high point of Hanif’s career came in 1967 when he made a blistering 337 to help Pakistan draw the Barbados Test against West Indies, an innings which is regarded among the epic knocks in cricket.

Hanif was named the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968. He was among the inaugural batch of 55 who were inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in January 2009.