Peshawar cricketer Nauman found murdered

PESHAWAR: Nauman Habib, a regular first-class cricketer of Peshawar, was killed by unknown assailants in Hayatabad Township, police said on Tuesday.

Fast bowler Nauman, 32, was kidnapped from Hayatabad Township on Sunday afternoon. Police found his dead body wrapped in a sack on Monday morning.

A police official said that Nauman had been hit repeatedly with some blunt instrument as his body carried marks of torture.

Nauman, the eldest of three sons of late Fazle Habib, who was a secretary of the Peshawar Region Cricket Association, claimed seven wickets against Multan in the first-round match of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the Arbab Niaz Stadium last week.

Nauman was also instrumental in helping Peshawar Panthers qualify for the Faysal Bank T20 Cup semi-finals in Karachi recently with seven wickets in wins over Islamabad Leopards and Karachi Dolphins, and took two more against Rawalpindi Rams in the semi-final.

After making first-class debut in the 1999-2000 season, Nauman took 221 wickets in 63 matches at an average of 26.22. He was born in Charsadda district on Sept 13, 1979 before his parents shifted to Peshawar in connection with business more than 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, the management of Pakistan Cricket Board condoled the tragic death of Nauman. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Zakir Khan, Director Cricket Operations (Domestic) said, that Nauman was a talented cricketer.