Former Pakistan hockey team captain Mansoor Ahmed dies at 49

Pakistan's former star hockey goalkeeper and captain Mansoor Ahmed passed away at a Karachi hospital due to heart failure on Saturday, May 12, at the age of 49.

Mansoor, who played for the country from 1986 to 2000, was a member of the Pakistan team that won gold at the 1994 World Cup in Sydney. He also won a bronze medal in the 1992 Olympic Games.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President, Brigadier (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and Secretary General Shahbaz Ahmad have expressed their grief over the passing away of the legendary goalkeeper.

"President and the Secretary-General prayed to Almighty Allah to bless the departed soul with eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss," a PHF statement read.

Mansoor, a three-time Olympian, was suffering from a heart ailment for the last three years. He had earlier appealed to the Indian government to issue him the required visa to travel to Chennai for a heart transplant.

Mansoor had appeared in 338 internationals between 1986 and 2000. He had also played in three Asian Games and won gold in 1990.