Australia and Pakistan to compete for inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Test skippers Pat Cummins and Babar Azam have unveiled the inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy ahead of Australia and Pakistan’s three-Test series beginning this Friday afternoon in Rawalpindi.

The trophy will commemorate cricketing icons Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir, who each enjoyed long and illustrious international careers for their respective nations.

Benaud, who passed away in 2015, made his Test debut for Australia in 1952 and went on to play 63 matches, taking 248 wickets at an average of 27. A spirited leg-spinner from Western Sydney, Benaud captained his country 28 times over a span of six years before becoming one of the most iconic broadcasters the game has seen. Benaud was a member of Australia’s maiden touring party of Pakistan in 1956 and skippered his country three years later in the country.

Qadir, who passed away in 2019, made his Test debut for Pakistan in 1977 and went on to appear in 67 matches. Hailing from Lahore, Qadir took 236 Test wickets – the fifth-highest tally in Pakistan history – over a 13-year career as a leg-spinner. Qadir still holds the Pakistani record for best bowling figures in a Test innings, having taken 9-for-56 versus England in Lahore in 1987. Qadir appeared in 11 Test matches in Australia, taking 45 wickets.

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Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley hopes that the unveiling of the perpetual Benaud-Qadir Trophy will spur on more Australia-Pakistan Test series in the future.

“We believe that having a perpetual trophy for this and future series between Pakistan and Australia and having the names of Richie and Abdul illustrates the desire of both governing bodies to grow the stature of these series moving forward,” Hockley said.

“From an Australian perspective, Richie is a wholly appropriate choice for this honour given his immense contribution to the game … Having his name alongside that of another great of the game, Abdul Qadir, is a recognition and celebration of the art of leg spin, a skill they both did so much to showcase.”

The first Test of the series will commence tomorrow at 4pm (AEDT) at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in northern Pakistan.