Cricketer Hanif Mohammad undergoes cancer operation

Successful operation sees batsman's right liver lobe and gall bladder removed.

NOTTINGHAM: Pakistan’s legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad has had an operation for liver cancer, a family friend told AFP on Wednesday.

The 78-year-old underwent an operation at London Bridge hospital on Tuesday that saw his right liver lobe and gall bladder removed.

The operation was deemed a success, with surgeon Robert Hutchins saying:

"It (the cancer) has been diagnosed at an early stage and it has not spread anywhere else."

Hanif Mohammad is now set to spend one week in hospital for observation.

The first star of Pakistan cricket following the country's creation in 1947, Hanif was also the first batsman to be known as the 'Little Master' – a nickname now carried by India batting great Sachin Tendulkar.

He is known for playing the longest innings in Test history – a mammoth 970-minute (16 hours and 10 minutes) 337 against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1958.

A year later, Mohammad followed that up with what was then the record first-class score of 499, for Karachi’s team against Bahawalpur’s, in Karachi. He held the record for the highest first-class score stood for 35 years before Brian Lara of West Indies made 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in the English County Championship, Edgbaston, 1994.

Three of Mohammad's brothers – Wazir Mohammad, Mushtaq Mohammad and Sadiq Mohammad – also played for Pakistan, as did Hanif's son Shoaib.