Turab Ali (died 5 June 2009) was a Pakistani footballer who played as a centre-back. He was dubbed as "the Wall of China" or "Pillar of Hercules” during his heydays in the 1960s due to his defending abilities.[1][2][3][4]
 Ali in the 1960s | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Turab Ali | ||
| Place of birth | Karachi, British India | ||
| Date of death | 5 June 2009 | ||
| Place of death | Karachi, Pakistan | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1960 | Lyari Mohammedan | ||
| 1960–1961 | Karachi Port Trust | ||
| 1961–1968 | Dhaka Mohammedan | ||
| International career | |||
| 1961–1967 | Pakistan | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editLyari Mohammedan
editTurab used to play as central-defender, and started his domestic football career Shamashin Club Lyari, now known as Lyari Mohammedan.
Karachi Port Trust
editIn a match of Lyari Mohammedan against the departmental side Karachi Port Trust at the KMC Stadium in 1960, Ali impressed in the game, which led to Karachi Port Trust extending an invitation for him to join their ranks.[5][6]
Dhaka Mohammedan
edit_at_the_1966_Aga_Khan_Gold_Cup_final.png)
In 1961, he was brought to Mohammedan SC Dhaka by Mohammedan's chief scout, Amir Jang Ghaznavi. He played for the Dhaka club between 1961 and 1968, during which the club only lost twice. He played an important role in winning the Dhaka League with the club in 1961, 1963, 1965, and 1966.[7]
International career
editDue to his performance in Mohammedan SC Dhaka, Ali was selected for the Pakistan national team. Turab made international debut against Burma (now Myanmar) in 1961 and six years later took over the charge of national team as 16th skipper of Pakistan Football team.[5] In 1964, when Ali visited away with the national team in a friendly against China, his game was at its peak and he was given the title of Wall of China.
He played in RCD Cup 1965 and he was captain when Pakistan defeated Saudi Arabia in a test match in Lyallpur by 3–1, part of an unofficial four-Test series in 1967 held across various cities in Pakistan.[8][9]
He also showed remarkable defensive quality when Pakistan played the 1968 AFC Asian Cup qualification and RCD Cup in 1967 under his captaincy. His International career span was from 1961 to 1967.[5]
In 1967, a knee injury against India in Burma in the 1968 AFC Asian Cup qualification, proved to be the end of his career.
Personal life
editAli was belonged to the locality of Lyari in Karachi.[10][11][12] He was the eldest of four sisters and four brothers, and also used to work at a port at the beginning of his career. After leaving football, Ali lived in poverty. He also drove a taxi on the streets of Karachi. In the latter part of his life he became constrained and confined himself to a room. In 2003, he was given financial assistance of 50 thousand rupees in a tournament held in his name at the People's Football Stadium.
Death
editHe passed away in Karachi in 5 June 2009.[5] He had having been suffering from complications after a severe stroke and was admitted to the Kutiana Memon Hospital at Kharadar.[5]
Honours
editDhaka Mohammedan
- Aga Khan Gold Cup runner-up: 1961
- Dhaka League: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966
- Pakistani Championship: 1961–62
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The years of dreams | Special Report | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ "Editorial | Special Report | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
- ^ "Former Pakistan captain Turab dies". Brecorder. 2009-06-06. Archived from the original on 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ "NBP president urges businessmen to patronise sports". Brecorder. 2008-05-14. Archived from the original on 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ^ a b c d e "Former football skipper Turab Ali passes away". DAWN.COM. 2009-06-06. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ Hasan, Shazia (2023-03-05). "REVIVING FOOTBALL IN LYARI". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ Iqbal, Ayaz Khan | Nayir (2024-09-22). "FOOTBALL: GLORY DAYS, PASS ME BY". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Pakistan football mourns death of former skipper". DAWN.COM. 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
- ^ Ahsan, Ali (2010-12-23). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part II". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2024-01-07. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ Shahnawaz, Mohammad (2017-03-12). "Football: THE SONG OF LYARI". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ^ InpaperMagazine, From (2013-01-13). "In-depth: Pakistan football". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ^ fawad.hussain (2012-05-08). "Among those who fell in Lyari, there was a 'Pele' too". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-04.