Hanif Mohammad was batting a very important inning of his life on the hospital bed in Karachi. Death had bowled him almost as his heart stopped for six minutes. He was nearing the boundary ropes, walking back to the pavilion when suddenly he was called back as he returned to life. It was as if death had bowled a no-ball.
Hanif literally cheated death to start breathing again. By then, the news of his death had spread across the social media. He had been fighting with respiratory problems since a few months and was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi a month back.
It is not the first time that Hanif is ill with a life-threatening disease. In 2013, the legendary Pakistani batsman was down with lung cancer. He had to go to London to receive treatment and returned back fully fit.
Hanif has a batting record which many batsmen would fail to achieve. He was also part of the Pakistan team that toured India in 1954-55. He played 55 Tests for Pakistan. The cricketing world still remembers his 337 runs against the West Indies in 1957-58, which is also the longest innings in Test history.
