Billy Ibadulla: Warwickshire & Pakistan all-rounder dies, aged 88

Billy Ibadulla, one of Warwickshire’s all-time greats, has passed away in New Zealand, at the age of 88.

The Lahore-born four-times capped Pakistan all-rounder was a fixture in the Bears side throughout the 1960s.

Ibadulla was part of the first Warwickshire side to play one-day cricket when the old Gillette Cup began back in 1963.

He went on to play in three Lord’s finals for the Bears, losing to Sussex in 1964, beating Worcestershire in 1966 and then wreaking revenge on Sussex in 1968.

Ibadulla made his Test debut for Pakistan against Australia in Karachi in October 1964, going on to earn three more caps, the final two of them on their tour to England in 1967 – at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.

After making his first-class debut in Lahore in February 1952, Ibadulla joined the playing staff at Edgbaston in 1954, making his County Championship debut in 1957.

He went on to play the vast majority of his career with Warwickshire, making 14,766 first-class runs in 377 matches at an average of 26.32, including 17 centuries, and taking 418 wickets with his off-breaks. He also made 62 List A appearances in the Gillette Cup and the Sunday League.

Ibadulla still holds a place in the Warwickshire records, having played his part, along with Norman Horner, in a 377-run opening stand against Surrey at The Oval in 1960 – which remains the county’s first-wicket partnership record.