Several renowned Pakistani cricketers, who made significant contributions to the sport, passed away in 2024.
Ali Zia
Ali Zia, a former first-class cricketer, died on 20 January at the age of 66. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), he represented Pakistan in 165 matches, scoring 8,579 runs and taking 241 wickets. He also served as the manager of Pakistan's Under-19 cricket team.
Saeed Ahmad
Saeed Ahmad, a former captain and Test cricketer, died on 20 March at the age of 86. He played for the national team from 1958 to 1973, participating in 41 Test matches and captaining three of them. PCB records showed that he scored 2,991 runs and took 22 wickets in Test cricket.
Sajjad Akbar
Sajjad Akbar, another former cricketer, died on 21 May at the age of 66. He represented Pakistan in two international matches and played 182 first-class games. As a Level 4 coach, he remained associated with domestic cricket coaching.
Khalid Ibadullah
Former all-rounder Khalid Ibadullah died on 14 July at the age of 88. His international career was brief but impactful. Between 1964 and 1967, he played four Tests for Pakistan. He made history by becoming the first Pakistani to score a century on Test debut, scoring 166 runs against Australia in Karachi in 1964. In 64 List A matches, he scored 829 runs and took 84 wickets. He also served as an umpire in 20 first-class and 12 List A matches.
Nazir Junior
Nazir Junior, a former Test cricketer and umpire, died on 21 November. He had suffered injuries in a traffic accident five years ago, which affected his health. He was the first Pakistani spinner to take seven wickets in the first innings of his Test debut. He also officiated as an umpire in 15 One Day Internationals and five Test matches.
