Abdul Qadir attends a sports event in Lahore. File / AFP

"My father never had a heart problem so it was sudden and shocking that he suffered a severe attack and could not survive," Salman Qadir said.

Qadir, who would have turned 64 on Sept.15, was one of favourites of former captain Imran Khan — now Pakistan's prime minister.

Qadir made his Test debut against England in 1977 and went on to play 67 Tests, taking 236 wickets with a best of 9-65 against England at the same venue in 1987.

Those figures are still the best by a Pakistan bowler in a Test innings.

He also took 132 wickets in 104 one-day internationals, with Imran using him as an attacking weapon in the 1983 World Cup held in England.

He played last of his international matches in 1993.

Qadir's unique dancing action was as attractive as it was destructive, spinning the ball prodigiously and had a lethal googly and a flipper.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed "heartfelt grief" on the demise of the cricket legend.

"The COAS expresses heartfelt grief on demise of cricket legend Abdul Qadir," DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Abdul Ghafoor tweeted.

“Pakistan has lost a great sportsman and a human being. May Allah bless his soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen”, he quoted the COAS as saying.

The Pakistan Cricket Board offered its deepest condolences to the Khan's family and friends.

"The PCB is shocked at the news of 'maestro' Abdul Qadir's passing and has offered its deepest condolences to his family and friends."

Legendary cricketer Wasim Akram also took to Twitter to pay a rich tribute to Khan.

He wrote, "They called him the magician for many reasons but when he looked at me in the eyes and told me that I was going to play for Pakistan for the next 20 years, I believed him. A magician, absolutely. A leg spinner and a trailblazer of his time."

"You will be missed Abdul Qadir but never forgotten."

Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne — the second highest Test wicket taker with 708 (only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan's 800) — was also a big fan of Qadir.

Former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif and Waqar Younis led the condolence messages, saying Qadir's death was "a great loss of Pakistan cricket."

"We have lost a great man who was an institution in himself," said Wasim who played alongside Qadir in the 1980s.

Agencies