Waqar Hasan

Waqar Hasan Mir is a former Pakistani cricketer who represented his country in 21 Test matches between 1952 and 1959. He remains notable as the last surviving member of Pakistan's inaugural Test team.

Early life and education

Waqar Hasan was born on 12 September 1932 in Amritsar. He attended Government College, Lahore, where he participated in the cricket team. During 1951, he toured England as a member of the Pakistan Eaglets team for young cricketers.

Career

Hasan was an attractive stroke-making right-handed batsman. He played in Pakistan's first 18 Tests and participated in the nation's first five victories. During the 1952–53 Test series against India, he emerged as the highest scorer on either side. He recorded 357 runs at an average of 44.62 while playing several defiant innings during periods when Pakistan faced difficulty.

His performance during the 1954 tour of England was less successful. He scored 103 runs at an average of 14.71, but he impressed observers with his fielding in the covers. In the 1955–56 season, he achieved his only Test century against New Zealand at Lahore. He scored 189 runs in 430 minutes to help rescue Pakistan after they slumped to 111 for 6. This innings included a 309-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Imtiaz Ahmed.

The 189 runs set a new record for Pakistan's highest Test score. This record lasted only until Ahmed scored 209 the following day. Pakistan won that match by 4 wickets. Following this achievement, Hasan played five more Tests without reaching a score of 50.

He played 99 first-class matches between 1949 and 1966. His highest first-class score was 201 not out for L. W. Cannon's XI against Hasan Mahmood's XI in 1953–54. As a captain, he led Karachi Blues to victory in the 1963–64 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final. He achieved this feat again in his last first-class match during the 1964–65 competition.

Hasan transitioned into administration after his playing days ended. He served as a national selector several times from the 1960s to the 1980s. He acted as the chief selector when Pakistan defeated India 3–0 at home in 1982–83.

Personal life

Hasan came from a family of Kashmiri descent. He married Jamila Razzaq, who was the daughter of actress Sultana Razzaq. Jamila was also the granddaughter of Fatma Begum and the niece of Zubeida.

In 1954, Hasan moved from Lahore to Karachi to work as a cinema inspector for the Pakistan Public Works Department. He entered the business sector in the early 1960s. In 1970, he partnered with Abdul Majeed to take over National Laboratories. They transformed this food testing facility into the spice-manufacturing company known as National Foods Limited.

He authored an autobiography titled For Cricket and Country in 2002. This book was written with assistance from the cricket journalist Qamar Ahmed. Hasan died on 10 February 2020 at the age of 87 after suffering from illness for several years.