Pakistan PM Imran leads cricket fraternity in mourning death of Abdul Qadir

"I have lost a good friend", said Pakistan's Prime Minister and former cricket captain Imran Khan as he led the country in paying tributes to spin legend Abdul Qadir, who died in Lahore after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Qadir, who would have turned 64 on September 15, died before he could be brought to a hospital.

"I have lost a good friend and a wonderful cricketer who served the country so well," Imran said in his condolence message.

The cricketer-turned-politician said Qadir's death was a shock to him.

Imran played an instrumental role in turning Qadir into a household name as it was under his captaincy that the leg-spinner flourished to secure many Test and one-day victories for Pakistan, including a 9 for 56 in one Test against the West Indies at Faisalabad in 1986.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa also expressed "heartfelt grief" on the death of the cricket legend.

"The COAS expresses heartfelt grief on the demise of cricket legend Abdul Qadir," DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Abdul Ghafoor tweeted.

"Pakistan has lost a great sportsman and a human being. May Allah bless his soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen, he quoted the COAS as saying.

President Arif Alvi also issued a condolence message lamenting that Pakistan had lost a great sportsman and human being.

Pakistan's current skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and other cricketers too issued condolence messages and paid tributes to Qadir.

"Absolutely shocking news to hear the sad passing of legend Abdul Qadir sahib. May Allah grant him the highest rank in jannah and his family the patience to bear the loss," tweeted Sarfaraz.

Former bowler Shoaib Akhtar tweeted a video message over the demise of Qadir noting that the death of the legendary leg-spinner had come as a big shock to him. Just got this sad news. The revival of leg spin in cricket is completely credited to him. He inspired a generation of bowlers to take up leg spin."
Legendary cricketer Wasim Akram, in his condolence message, said that Qadir was called the magician for many reasons but "when he looked at me in the eyes and told me that I was going to play for Pakistan for the next 20 years, I believed him."