Former Pakistan off-spinner and selector Haseeb Ahsan, credited with picking legend Wasim Akram in 1984, died Friday after prolonged illness, a family friend said. He was 73.
Ahsan was regarded as one of the most straight-forward cricket administrators, and headed Pakistan's World Cup 1987 organising committee and served as a national team manager.
Karachi City Cricket Association president Sirajul Islam Bukhari confirmed Ahsan died early Friday in the city. "Ahsan fought illness with courage," who was on dialysis for the last two years, said Bukhari.
"He served the game well and was particularly supportive of cricket in Karachi." Ahsan played 12 Tests between 1958 and 1962, and was a member of the Pakistan team on its first tour to the West Indies in 1858. He made his debut at Bridgetown where his old friend Hanif Mohammad scored 337 -- still Pakistan's highest Test score.