South Africa’s Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir celebrated his wicket against Sri Lanka on Sunday by paying tribute to singer-turned-evangelist Junaid Jamshed, who died in a plane crash last month.

One of the world's top spinners, Lahore-born Tahir has played more than 100 times for the Proteas since making his international debut in 2011, after becoming a South African citizen through marriage.

After dismissing Sri Lanka's Asela Gunaratne during the second T20 International match on Sunday, Tahir set off on a run in celebration, and lifted his shirt to reveal a portrait of Jamshed printed on his undershirt.

Tahir claimed a single wicket during the match, while Sri Lanka beat the hosts by three wickets after an exciting game at The Wanderers.

Since making his first-class debut in 1996-97, Tahir has played for ten teams from Lahore to Yorkshire to the Titans in South Africa. He has also had stints with three English counties, including Middlesex, Yorkshire and Hampshire.

PIA flight PK-661 carrying 48 passengers and crew crashed on the way to Islamabad from Chitral on December 7 last year. The Civil Aviation Authority later confirmed there were no survivors from the ill-fated flight.

The passenger list revealed there were 31 men, nine women and two infants on board the flight, including Junaid Jamshed and his family, as well as three foreigners.

The ATR-42 aircraft departed from Chitral at around 3:30pm and was expected to land at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport at around 4:40pm but crashed in Havelian near Abbottabad shortly after a distress call was sent to the control tower.

Opinion

Editorial

Punishing evaders
02 May, 2024

Punishing evaders

THE FBR’s decision to block mobile phone connections of more than half a million individuals who did not file...
Engaging Riyadh
Updated 02 May, 2024

Engaging Riyadh

It must be stressed that to pull in maximum foreign investment, a climate of domestic political stability is crucial.
Freedom to question
02 May, 2024

Freedom to question

WITH frequently suspended freedoms, increasing violence and few to speak out for the oppressed, it is unlikely that...
Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.