Saeed Ahmed (cricketer)
{{short description|Pakistani preacher and cricketer (1937–2024)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Saeed Ahmed
| image =
| fullname = Saeed Ahmed
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|10|1|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Jalandhar, Punjab Province, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|3|20|1937|10|1|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| heightm =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm offbreak
| family = Younis Ahmed
| international = true
| country = Pakistan
| testdebutagainst = West Indies
| testdebutdate = 17 January
| testdebutyear = 1958
| lasttestagainst = Australia
| lasttestdate = 29 December
| lasttestyear = 1972
| testcap = 27
| columns = 2
| column1 = Tests
| matches1 = 41
| runs1 = 2,991
| bat avg1 = 40.41
| 100s/50s1 = 5/16
| top score1 = 172
| deliveries1 = 1,980
| wickets1 = 22
| bowl avg1 = 36.45
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 4/64
| catches/stumpings1= 13/–
| column2 = First-class
| matches2 = 213
| runs2 = 12,847
| bat avg2 = 40.02
| 100s/50s2 = 34/51
| top score2 = 203*
| deliveries2 = 18,879
| wickets2 = 332
| bowl avg2 = 24.75
| fivefor2 = 15
| tenfor2 = 2
| best bowling2 = 8/41
| catches/stumpings2= 122/–
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/42603.html Cricinfo
| date = 13 June
| year = 2016
}}
{{Infobox award
| name = Pride of Performance Award Recipient
| image =
| imagesize = 100px
| caption = Saeed Ahmed was recipient of the Pride of Performance Award in 1962Saeed Ahmed gets Pride of Performance award
| country = Islamic Republic of Pakistan
| date = 1962
| presenter = Islamic Republic of Pakistan
}}
Saeed Ahmed ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|سعید احمد}}}}; 1 October 1937 – 20 March 2024) was a Pakistani Test cricketer who captained the national team, and later became a preacher and member of Tablighi Jamaat.
Born in 1937 at Jalandhar in what was then British Punjab, part of British India and educated at Government Islamia College in Lahore, Saeed's brother Younis Ahmed also played cricket for Pakistan.
A right-handed middle order batsman with a powerful drive and bowled off-breaks, Saeed made his Test début on 17 January 1958 against West Indies at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. He made 65 in the second innings, at one stage partnering with Hanif Mohammad who went on to make 337. Saeed finished the series with 508 runs.
Saeed captained his side in three drawn Tests in 1968–69 but his career ended in controversial circumstances when he declared himself unfit for the third Test against Australia in 1972 due to what he claimed was a back injury. In the previous Test, he had been involved in a heated altercation with Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee and the Pakistan management was sceptical about Saeed's injury. In all, Saeed played 41 Tests, scoring 2991 runs at 40.41 and taking 22 wickets at 36.45.
Personal life and death
Saeed married renowned businesswoman Begum Salma Ahmed, a relative of Pakistani diplomat Shahryar Khan, and became involved in the business.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/668924-the-twenty-two-families-of-pakistan-test-cricket-part-iii|title=The Twenty Two Families of Pakistan Test Cricket – Part III |author=Salman Faridi|date=7 June 2020|newspaper=The News International (newspaper)|access-date=18 October 2021}}
In 1980, he quit his cricket and business careers and joined Tablighi Jamaat as a preacher.
Saeed Ahmed died on 20 March 2024, at the age of 86.{{cite news |title=Former Test captain Saeed Ahmed dies aged 86 |url=https://cricketpakistan.com.pk/en/news/detail/former-test-captain-saeed-ahmed-dies-aged-86 |access-date=20 March 2024 |publisher=Cricket Pakistan |date=20 March 2024}}
Records
- Fastest Pakistani Cricketer to reach 1,000 test runs (20 innings).{{cite web | url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283173.html |title=Records / Test matches / Batting records / Fastest to 1000 runs | publisher=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=18 October 2021}}{{Cite web |title=PCB mourns passing of former Test captain Saeed Ahmed |url=https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/34606-pcb-mourns-passing-of-former-test-captain-saeed-ahmed |access-date=20 March 2024 |website=www.geosuper.tv |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=20 March 2024 |title=Former Test Captain Saeed Ahmed passes away |url=https://ppforum.pakpassion.net/threads/former-test-captain-saeed-ahmed-passes-away.313424/ |access-date=20 March 2024 |website=PakPassion.net |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=قومی ٹیسٹ ٹیم کے چھٹے کپتان سعید احمد 86برس کی عمر میں انتقال کر گئے|url=https://www.dawnnews.tv/news/1229066|website=Dawnnews Television|date=21 March 2024|access-date=20 March 2024|language=en|first=|last=}}{{Cite web|title=پاکستان کے سابق ٹیسٹ کپتان سعید احمد 86 برس کی عمر میں انتقال کر گئے|url=https://urdu.geo.tv/latest/359242-|website=urdu.geo.tv|access-date=20 March 2024|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=42603}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
before= Hanif Mohammad|
title= Pakistan Cricket Captain|
years= 1968–1969|
after= Intikhab Alam
}}
{{succession box| before = Des Hoare | title = Nelson Cricket Club
Professional | after = Neil Hawke | years = 1965–1966}}
{{s-end}}
{{Pakistan Test Cricket Captains}}
{{Pride of Performance for Sports}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Saeed}}
Category:Pakistan Test cricketers
Category:Cricketers from Jalandhar
Category:Pakistan Test cricket captains
Category:International Cavaliers cricketers
Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance
Category:Pakistan Universities cricketers
Category:Punjab University cricketers
Category:Pakistan International Airlines cricketers
Category:Karachi Whites cricketers
Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers
Category:Karachi Blues cricketers
Category:Public Works Department cricketers
Category:Punjab (Pakistan) cricketers
Category:Central Zone (Pakistan) cricketers
Category:Tablighi Jamaat people