In 1988, Nezam Hafiz captained Guyana U19 against Brian Lar, later represented USA; 13 years later, the cricketer lost his life in the 9/11 attacks

Nezam Hafiz and the 9/11 attack (Images: Wikipedia and X) Twenty-five years after the attacks of 9/11, the names of those who lost their lives continue to carry the stories of lives, families and dreams suddenly cut short. Among them was Nezam Ahmed Hafiz, a talented cricketer born in Guyana who went on to represent the United States.Hafiz was 32 years old when he was killed in the collapse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. His name is now permanently inscribed at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on panel N-6 of the North Pool.But before he became one of the victims of one of the darkest days in American history, Hafiz was known to many as a cricketer: a talented batsman, a thoughtful teammate, and a man who built much of his life on the game.

From Guyana to American Cricket

Born in Guyana on April 21, 1969, Hafiz grew up in a country where cricket was deeply woven into everyday life. His talent appeared early. He captained the Guyana Under-19 team in 1988, with one of his opponents in that tournament being Trinidad and Tobago’s Brian Lara, who went on to become one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history.Hafiz subsequently made his first-class debut for Guyana and played several matches for the senior side in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He moved to New York in 1992 to join his parents and sisters, but leaving Guyana did not mean leaving cricket.In Queens, Hafiz became a prominent figure in the local cricket community, playing for the American Cricket Society and eventually representing the United States. He also toured England with Team USA in 2000.

9/11 changed everything

During the week, Hafiz worked as a computer analyst for Marsh & McLennan. His office was on the 94th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower. Hafiz was among the people inside the building. The tower finally collapsed at 10:28, killing Hafiz and thousands of others. He was one of 358 Marsh & McLennan employees and contractors who died in the attacks.For his family, the loss was therefore compounded by the absence of a conventional farewell. His mother, Bebe Hafiz, later spoke of the pain of not being able to bury her son, according to a Cricinfo report.

Cricket became his memorial

His teammates refused to let Hafiz’s memory fade away. In the months and years after 9/11, cricket matches were held in his honor. His American Cricket Society teammates organized a memorial match in Queens in 2002, while another was later held at the Malteenoes Cricket Club in Guyana. Memorial matches continued in New York for several years.In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, another memorial game was held in New York. A cricket bat from one of these memorial matches is now part of the collection of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.