Hockey icon and national awardee Ibrahim Saber died of old-age complications at the Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi yesterday. He was 74.

Saber left behind his wife, two sons and a daughter to mourn his death. The multidisciplined athlete had been suffering diabetes from a long time.

Left-back Saber, who played for the then East Pakistan hockey team and Bangladesh national hockey team, was also renewed for his bold presence in other disciplines such as football, basketball and cricket.

Saber was one of the amazing trio, with the other two being Abdus Sadeque and Mohshin who had given a scare to the 1970 Olympic Gold medallists and Asian Games winners Pakistan team in a 1-0 defeat in Dhaka prior to the independence of Bangladesh.

“Before and after the independence, I played with Saber for Abahani and for the national team. He was very close to me. I had last met him during the namaz-e-Janaza of Mohsin. During that time he looked sick. I really feel sad for his departure,” legendary hockey player Abdus Sadeque said.

Saber also played football with legends such as Golam Sarwar Tipu and Protap Sankar Hazra. He started playing football for Dhanmondi Cub and scored a treble for Azad Sporting Club during the Aga Khan Gold Cup. He also played First Division Basketball for champions Eaglets and Wanderers Club. He played cricket for Azad Boys.