The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday honoured Pakistani legend Hanif Mohammad on his 87th birthday.
The star cricketer, who set a major record in Test cricket bagging 337 runs in a 970 minutes innings against West Indies, was born on December 21, 1934, in Junagadh, India. He passed away in 2016.
ICC took to twitter and wrote, “On this day in 1934, the architect of the longest Test innings, a 970-minute vigil for 337 runs in Bridgetown in 1958, Hanif Mohammad was born.”
On this day in 1934, the architect of the longest Test innings, a 970-minute vigil for 337 runs in Bridgetown in 1958, Hanif Mohammad was born 🌟 pic.twitter.com/qQIBO5xkgR
— ICC (@ICC) December 21, 2021
Mohammad Hanif, widely known as the Little Master, was the first star of Pakistan cricket to play the longest innings in Test history. The knock was followed a year later with the highest first-class innings to that point, 499 run out.
“With such feats, broadcast on radio, he turned cricket in Pakistan from the preserve of the Lahore educated elite into the mass sport it is today,” ESPNcricinfo reported.
Pakistan Cricket Board also remembered the legend on his birthday.
Remembering Hanif Mohammad on his birth anniversary: The Pride of Pakistan who played one of the most iconic Test innings ever; 970-minute, 337 against West Indies. Widely regarded as one of the most distinguished Test openers. Happy Birthday 'Little Master' Hanif Mohammad🎂 pic.twitter.com/k5FdJSqYkJ
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 21, 2021
While being famous for excellent defence and never hitting the ball in the air, Hanif Mohammad could also attack and was the presumable inventor of the reverse-sweep.
He represented Pakistan in 55 Tests, scoring 3,915 runs at an average of 43.98. He still holds the record for highest score (337) in an innings by a Pakistani batsman followed by Inzamamul Haq (329) and Younus Khan (313). The veteran was also named as Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968.
In January 2009, Hanif Mohammad was named along with two other Pakistani players — Imran Khan and Javed Miandad — among the inaugural batch of 55 inductees into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
