Former Pakistan all-rounder Billy Ibadulla passed away on Friday at the age of 88. Although his international career was brief, featuring only four Tests for Pakistan between 1964 and 1967, he made a significant impact by becoming the first Pakistani to score a century on his Test debut.
Ibadulla debuted against Australia in Karachi in 1964, one of six newcomers in that match as Pakistan sought to rejuvenate its team. At the insistence of captain Hanif Mohammad, Ibadulla was included in the squad and justified his selection with a remarkable 166 in the first innings.
He formed a 249-run opening partnership with fellow debutant Abdul Kadir, a record for the highest partnership between two debutants for any wicket in Test cricket, and a national record for the first wicket until it was surpassed by Aamer Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed in 1997.
Despite his promising start, Ibadulla only played three more Tests before pursuing a successful career with Warwickshire in county cricket. He was among the first Pakistanis to join the county circuit, after being overlooked for Pakistan's 1954 tour to England. Determined to make his mark, he moved to England and enjoyed a nearly 18-season career.
Ibadulla played key roles in Warwickshire's victories in two limited-overs cup titles within three years, notably taking 3-25 and scoring 28 in their 1968 final win. After retiring from county cricket, he became a coach at a UK school and later moved to New Zealand, where he played for Otago and occasionally for Tasmania in Australia, while also coaching.
He significantly contributed to the early development of Glenn Turner, one of New Zealand's greatest batsmen. Ibadulla concluded his prolific first-class career with 17,078 runs at an average of 27.28 and 462 wickets at 30.96. Of his 417 first-class matches, 377 were for Warwickshire, where he played for over a decade.
Warwickshire president Dennis Amiss, who played alongside Ibadulla, paid tribute to his former teammate, describing him as a special cricketer with a great sense of humour and a beloved figure at Warwickshire.
In addition to his first-class career, Ibadulla played 64 List A matches, scoring 829 runs and taking 84 wickets. He also umpired 20 first-class matches and 12 List-A games and ran a private coaching clinic in New Zealand.
His legacy continues through his son, Kassem Ibadulla, who played 31 first-class games and 19 List-A matches for Gloucestershire and Otago.