Former Hyderabad opener Pawan dies at 58

Tunga played for Indian Schools cricket team along with off-spinner Anant Vatsalya in 1978-79.

Hyderabad: Former Hyderabad opener Pawan Tunga passed away here on Sunday. He was ailing from Jaundice. He was 58.

A consistent scorer in junior cricket, Tunga played for Indian Schools cricket team along with off-spinner Anant Vatsalya in 1978-79. He scored a double century in the Vizzy Trophy tournament. “He was a technically sound batsman despite his bulky figure,” said P Harimohan, former Ranji fast bowler.

Tunga used to play for MCC in local leagues. “He was a prolific scorer and a brilliant fielder at short leg,” added Vivek Jaisimha, who was is his teammate in Nizam College along with N Kiran Kumar Reddy, former chief minister of erstwhile Andhra. He played in two matches for Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy making his debut against Tamil Nadu in 1984-85.

Another opener Saad Bin Jung paid rich tribute saying: “It’s hard to imagine that my batting partner for so many years is gone forever. We were young and impressionable school boys, playing on uncovered wickets, drenched in rain, against first class bowlers of great repute. How many innings have we walked out together to open the batting? Unafraid and unwilling to give in, knowing the other has our back.”

Tunga also served as a senior selector.