Hanif’s grandson hits firstclass double ton, keeps family legacy alive

MUMBAI: Shehzar Mohammad, grandson of Pakistan cricket legend Hanif Mohammad, slammed a double hundred for Karachi Whites against Multan in a Quaid-e-azam Trophy match on Friday, maintaining a unique family tradition.

Shehzar is now the sixth member of his family to score a firstclass double hundred. Apart from his grandfather whose highest score in first-class is 499, his father, uncle and two grand uncles have also achieved the same feat.

Shehzar’s father, Shoaib Mohammad, who represented Pakistan in 45 Tests and 63 ODIS, had a best first-class score of 208 not out. Hanif’s two brothers-Sadiq and Mushtaq-- also hit double hundreds i n first-class cricket. Sadiq’s son Imran is another first-class double centurion from the family.

Shehzar can also bowl off spin besides keeping wickets occasionally. His first double hundred came in his 36th first-class game. His knock of 265 lasted 464 balls and was studded with 30 fours and one six at the Multan Cricket Stadium. “This is a great moment for everyone in Mohammad family. This shows that cricket runs in our blood,” the 26-year-old was quoted as saying by Geo TV.

HANIF’S LEGEND

Dubbed Asia’s first ‘little master’, Hanif Mohammad played 55 Tests for Pakistan between 1952 and 1969, accumulating 3915 runs with an average of 43.98 including 12 hundreds. He is best remembered for his marathon 337 against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1958. Mohammad’s knock, which came after Pakistan were forced to follow on, lasted 970 minutes, making it the longest innings in Test cricket.