Former Pakistan Test Cricketer Wazir Mohammad Passes Away at 95
Wazir Mohammad, one of the pioneers of Pakistan cricket and the eldest of the famous Mohammad brothers, has passed away at the age of 95. He was among the trailblazers who represented Pakistan in their formative years in Test cricket.
Wazir featured in 20 Test matches for Pakistan between 1952 and 1959, a period that laid the foundations of the country’s cricketing legacy. Though his Test batting average of 27.62 may not fully reflect his value, Wazir played key roles in several of Pakistan’s most historic early victories. His first-class record — 40 runs per innings — paints a more accurate picture of his quality and consistency as a batter.
His most celebrated contribution came in the Oval Test of 1954, where Pakistan stunned England to win by 24 runs, becoming the first team to win a Test on their maiden tour of England. While Fazal Mahmood grabbed the headlines with a 12-wicket haul, it was Wazir’s gritty unbeaten 42 — compiled over four hours with the last two wickets — that gave Pakistan a defendable lead after the team had teetered at 85 ahead with two wickets in hand.
Wazir’s resilience and composure under pressure became his trademark. Two years later, he struck a crucial 67 against Australia in Karachi, sharing a 104-run stand with captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar after Pakistan had slumped to 70 for 5. Pakistan went on to win that match by nine wickets.
His finest individual series came during the 1957-58 tour of the West Indies, where he amassed 440 runs, including two centuries and an unbeaten 97. While that tour is best remembered for Garry Sobers’ world-record 365 and Hanif Mohammad’s epic 337, Wazir’s contributions were just as vital. His 189 in the final Test at Port of Spain helped secure a memorable win for Pakistan, ensuring the team had recorded at least one Test victory on each of their first three international tours.
By the early 1960s, with a new wave of young talent emerging — including his own younger brother Mushtaq Mohammad — Wazir’s Test career came to a close. He made his final first-class appearance in the 1964 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, scoring 23 for Karachi Whites.
Affectionately nicknamed “Wisden” for his encyclopedic knowledge of cricket history and trivia, Wazir remained a respected figure in the cricketing community. He had long been settled near Birmingham, England, like his brother Mushtaq.
Wazir was one of four Mohammad brothers to play Test cricket for Pakistan — alongside Hanif, Mushtaq, and Sadiq. Another brother, Raees, did not play at the international level but remains the eldest surviving sibling. Hanif Mohammad, Pakistan’s “Little Master,” passed away in 2016.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed its condolences in a statement:
“The PCB is deeply saddened by the passing of former Pakistan Test batter Wazir Mohammad. One of the four Mohammad brothers to represent Pakistan in Test cricket, he featured in 20 matches for his country from 1952 to 1959. The PCB extends its heartfelt condolences to his family.”
Wazir Mohammad’s passing marks the end of an era, as one of Pakistan’s earliest cricketing heroes who helped define the nation’s presence on the international stage.