KARACHI: Pakistan and the rest of the cricket world mourning the tragic death of former national team coach, Bob Woolmer on the second anniversary today.

Woolmer, 58, born in Kanpur (India) was found dead in his hotel room in Jamaica on March 18, 2007, one day after Pakistan was sensationally knocked out of the World Cup following a shock defeat to outsiders Ireland.

The cricket fans in Pakistan would never forget the valuable services that Bob Woolmer rendered to the world of cricket including Pakistan.

Woolmer, who had been a Test batsman for England, took Pakistan to the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies but died prematurely in shocking circumstances during the tournament.

Pakistani players came under intense investigation when Woolmer’s death was initially treated as murder.

Some commentators insist Woolmer was killed to stop him blowing the whistle on illegal betting, the curse of the game in Asia. But after a detailed inquiry Jamaican police declared Woolmer died of natural causes.

Woolmer, also a former South African coach, joined Pakistan in 2004 in a period of turmoil following one-day and Test defeats against arch rivals India.

For two years and 10 months, Woolmer endeavoured to build a working relationship with the team and, more importantly, with the management who had dismissed several coaches and captains on poor results.

Under him, Pakistan levelled their two-Test home series against Sri Lanka before Australia thrashed them 3-0.

The turning point came when Pakistan beat Ashes-winning England 2-0 on home soil after squaring Test series in India and the West Indies in 2005, and then beating India at home and Sri Lanka away in 2006.

The anniversary comes as Pakistani cricket remains in disarray following the March 3 ambush of the Sri Lankan team bus by armed militants in Lahore, when eight people died.