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Cricket Australia (CA) and the Pakistan Cricket Board have named a perpetual trophy in honour of legendary leg-spinners Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir.
- The Benaud-Qadir Trophy will be contested when Australia faces Pakistan in the Test arena
- Benaud captained Australia to a series win in Pakistan during his illustrious career
- Qadir is regarded as one of the greatest leg-spinners of all time
The Benaud-Qadir Trophy will be contested between Australia and Pakistan whenever they play in the men's Test arena, beginning with this month's series.
The trophy was unveiled by Australia captain Pat Cummins and Pakistan counterpart Babar Azam in Rawalpindi ahead of the first Test, which starts on Friday.
"We really are standing on the shoulders of these greats of the past who helped to grow and popularise the game," Cummins said.
"If my team can collect that trophy at the end of this series then it really would be the perfect end to the Test part of this historic tour."
Benaud was a member of the first Australian team to play a Test in Pakistan, in 1956.
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He captained Australia when it toured Pakistan in 1959, with the visitors winning the three-Test series 2-0.
Benaud, who died aged 84 in 2015, played 63 Tests, taking 248 wickets at an average of 27.03.
He also scored 2,201 runs with the bat at 24.45.
Qadir, regarded as one of the greatest leg-spinners of all time, claimed 45 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia.
He played 67 Tests in total between 1977 and 1990, collecting 236 wickets at an average of 32.80.
Qadir died in 2019, aged 63.
CA chief executive Nick Hockley said Benaud and Qadir deserved to have the trophy named in their honour.
"Richie is a wholly appropriate choice for this honour given his immense contribution to the game, the respect and affection he commands in Australia, Pakistan and throughout the cricket world," Hockley told CA's website.
"Having his name alongside that of another great of the game, Abdul Qadir, is a recognition and celebration of the art of leg-spin, a skill they both did so much to showcase."
Australia is touring Pakistan for the first time since 1998.
The second Test will be played in Karachi from March 12, with the third beginning on March 21 in Lahore.
Australia and Pakistan will also contest three ODIs and a T20I.