Former Pakistan and Otago cricketer Billy Ibadulla has died, aged 88.
Ibadulla, who played four tests for Pakistan, played for Otago between 1964 and 1967, before moving to Dunedin in 1976.
He ran a private cricket coaching clinic in the city for more than two decades, touching the lives of thousands of cricketers, including some of New Zealand’s biggest names.
That includes Glenn Turner, Ken Rutherford, Chris Cairns and, most recently, former skipper Brendon McCUllum.
Ibadulla was McCullum’s personal batting coaching, and took him under his wing as the aggressive batter prepared for his test debut against South Africa in 2004.
"It's always a pleasure to see him go out [to bat] because he's such a positive-thinking person," Ibadulla told the
BBC in an interview to honour McCullum's 101st and final test, which was played against Australia in Christchurch in 2016.
"I see him going down in the history of the game as a hostile batsman. That's what he is – when you are bowling to him you know something is going to happen.
Ibadulla, who also coached McCullum’s father, Stu, scored 22 first-class hundreds, including 166 on test debut.
He also took 452 wickets, before turning his attention to growing New Zealand cricketers.
"It doesn't matter how good a player is, I'm responsible for their progress," Ibadulla told the
Otago Daily Times in 2009.
"If he is not going to be another Turner or Rutherford, I've still got to help him go as far as he can go.
"I'm always preparing myself for that moment when they [the parents] ask, 'How is he doing?'.
"And I can't afford to fail him. He has to improve and that's what we are looking for."
Ibadulla was one of Warwickshire’s finest overseas players, playing 439 first class and List A games between 1954 and 1972, winning three domestic trophies.
SOURCE:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/35034...d-otago-cricketer-billy-ibadulla-dies-aged-88
