Glowing tributes paid to Taslim Arif
Bureau Report

KARACHI—Former Test cricketers Friday paid glowing tributes to late Taslim Arif for his great contribution to the country and fighting character.
“He was a great friend, lively character and fighting cricketer to the core,” Javed Miandad said at his funeral. “Taslim was unlucky not to play a lot of cricket for Pakistan in presence of Wasim Bari,” Miandad said.
He said he had always advised Taslim Arif to bat down the order because he was a very reliable keeper behind the stumps. “It was not easy for him to concentrate on both the difficult departments equally,” he said.
“Besides for Pakistan, I had played a lot of first class cricket with Taslim and found him very lively, interesting character, who dedicated to his cricket,” he said.
“Look at his performance during his six test matches for the country,” his boss, cricketing colleague and friend Iqbal Qasim said.
“How can I forget his historic unbeaten knock of 210 against Australia at Faisalabad. He kept wickets and stayed in the ground almost during the entire duration of the match,” he added.
“That clearly reflects his great application and concentration as a good test class player,” he recalled. “I had the honour of playing alongside him in that match.”
Veteran test opener Sadiq Muhammad, who played test alongside described Taslim Arif a courageous cricketers, who accepted challenges in the game.
Sadiq recalled that after consistent failure of openers during the tour of India in 1979-80, Taslim Arif asked skipper Asif Iqbal to include him as an opener saying he will not disappoint him.
“Asif included him in the team and Taslim scored 90 in the first innings and 42 in the second,” Sadiq said. “That showed his self-belief,” he added.
“Taslim was a self-motivating cricketer and he proved his class during the grand double hundred against Australia in Faisalabad on return from Indian tour,” Sadiq maintained. “He was a cheerful character. Me and Iqbal Qasim never felt bored in his company,” he concluded.