Veteran cricket journalist Qamar Ahmed passes away at 88

Pakistan's veteran cricket journalist Qamar Ahmed passed away in Karachi on Thursday at the age of 88, according to his family.

Family members said he had been suffering from a heart ailment.

Widely regarded as one of Pakistan's pioneering cricket journalists, Ahmed covered more than 400 Test matches and over 600 One-Day Internationals, in addition to reporting on International Cricket Council (ICC) events around the world.

During a journalism career spanning five decades, he earned distinction as one of the most prolific cricket reporters and authors, covering more than 400 Test matches, 738 One-Day Internationals, and nine Cricket World Cups.

Ahmed also worked for Dawn and served as a cricket reporter for the BBC World Service. His bylines appeared in several international newspapers, including The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph (London), and Dawn.

Born on Oct 23, 1937, in Uttar Pradesh in British India, Ahmed migrated to Pakistan after Partition, first settling in Karachi before moving to Hyderabad, Sindh. He also captained the Hyderabad cricket team.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, he studied cricket journalism and broadcasting in England. He was also part of the commentary team during the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Ahmed contributed to numerous cricket publications worldwide and regularly appeared as a cricket commentator on radio and television. He also authored several books on cricket.

In recognition of his contribution to the game, he became an honorary life member of the Cricket Writers' Club of England in 2011.

Apart from his journalism career, Ahmed played 17 first-class matches.

Former cricketers, commentators, and sports journalists paid tribute to Ahmed, saying his death had left a void in the cricket fraternity.

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan expressed grief over the death of the veteran sports journalist, recalling his long association with him.

“I travelled a lot with Qamar Ahmed, and he covered many of our matches,” Younis said in a video statement.

“Just a week ago, I was with him, and we covered a wonderful event together,” he said, while praying for the departed soul.

Former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif also condoled Ahmed's death.

Latif said Ahmed had been suffering from a heart condition and had undergone an operation two weeks ago.

Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle also expressed sorrow over Ahmed's passing.

In a post on X, Bhogle said he was “very saddened” by the death of the “generous and large-hearted” Ahmed, whom everyone affectionately called “Q”.

He recalled that Ahmed had helped him extensively during his first tour of England in 1990, when he was “a wide-eyed novice on most matters”.

“Always greeted me with a hearty laugh. I have only warm memories of Q, and I will be surprised if anyone else has any other. Khuda Hafiz Q Bhai. Salaam,” he wrote.

The editor-in-chief of cricket website ESPNcricinfo also shared his memories of Ahmed.

In a post on X, he said he had travelled to England for cricket for 25 years, and Ahmed had always been there “with a smile, with warmth, and with a bag of wicked stories”, adding that he had a way of instantly making people feel welcome.

“For me, something essential, and inevitable, is gone from the Lord's press box,” he wrote.

Senior politician Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also paid tribute to Ahmed, describing his death as the end of an era in sports journalism.