ISLAMABAD: The winners of Australia’s first Test series in Pakistan in nearly a quarter of a century will lift the trophy named after two legendary leg-spinners from both countries: Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam and his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins unveiled the Benaud-Qadir Trophy at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, two days ahead of the first game of the three-Test series at the same venue.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement that it will be “a perpetual Trophy and will be presented at the end of each men’s Test series played between the Pakistan and Australia cricket teams.”

Benaud led Australia to a 2-0 victory in their inaugural series in Pakistan in 1959 and, after retiring from Test cricket, become a widely-known TV commentator. Qadir picked 45 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia.

“I am delighted to give my approval for Richie’s name to be on this trophy alongside that of Abdul Qadir,” Benaud’s wife Daphne was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the PCB. “Richie had a very high regard for Qadir and the fact that both were leg-spinners has a nice ring to it.”

PCB CEO Faisal Hasnian said that there couldn’t have been a better way to launch Australia’s first Test series in Pakistan since 1998.

“There can be no better way to celebrate and mark the revival of Pakistan-Australia Test rivalry in Pakistan by launching the trophy in the names of two absolute legends and icons of this great game,” he was quoted as saying. “These two gentlemen remain a flavour of all eras and ages as their contributions towards cricket in general and wrist-spin bowling in particular are second to none.”

Cummins said his side was eager to lift the trophy at the end of the series with the final Test in Lahore after the second Test in Karachi.

“We really are standing on the shoulders of these greats of the past who helped to grow and popularise the game, and if my team can collect that trophy at the end of this series then it really would be the perfect end to the test part of this historic tour,” Cummins was quoted as saying in the PCB statement.

At the trophy unveiling, Cummins said his side couldn’t wait for the series to begin.

“We’ve got a really long history of playing against Pakistan,” he said. “I’ve had some good series against Pakistan back home but never over here. We just can’t wait for the tour to start, it’s beautiful here in Islamabad.”

Babar echoed Cummins’ views in the PCB statement.

“The game is today healthy, wealthy and strong because of such individuals [Benaud and Qadir] and their legacy,” he said. “We have our sights firmly on the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, both the sides will have to bring out their very best during this series as this promises to be a really competitive contest.”

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2022