A legend of Pakistan cricket, Fazal Mahmood, known locally as the "Hero of the Oval", died at home here after suffering a heart attack, his family said on Monday. He was 78. Mahmood was famed for taking 12 wickets in each of Pakistan's first two wins during their formative years in Test cricket - first at Lucknow in 1952 and then at the Oval, in London in 1954. "He suffered a heart attack which he couldn't survive. He was otherwise healthy and used to go to his office even after a prostate operation," his son Shahzad Mahmood told AFP.
Mahmood, also a police officer, played 34 Tests, taking 139 wickets and led Pakistan in 10 Test matches between 1952 and 1962. After Pakistan lost their first ever Test to India at New Delhi in 1952, Mahmood returned at Lucknow with figures of 5-52 and 7-42 - 12 for 94 in the match, to help Pakistan win only their second Test by an innings and 43 runs.
For his part in Pakistan's win at the Oval in 1954 he was one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, the first Pakistani to win the coveted honour.
He again took 12 for 99 at the Oval, highlighted by the British media that reported: "England Fazal-ed".