Munir Hussain

Munir Hussain (29 November 1929 – 29 July 2013) was a cricket commentator, administrator, and journalist from Pakistan who also played a first-class cricket match for Kalat in the 1969–70 season. He was the first to introduce Urdu commentary to cricket, and was the founder of the first Urdu cricket magazine, Akhbar-e-Watan. During the 1970s, Hussain commentated on the game for Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan, and wrote weekly columns on cricket for the Daily Jang for many years. He received many accolades for his work for cricket. ESPNcricinfo writer Saad Shafqat described him as "a pioneering commentator, groundbreaking publisher, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) mandarin, and sagacious elder presence in the nation's cricket circles". Captaining his team, he scored 12 runs in the match. As a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Hussain took 2 wickets for 64 runs. Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan praised his "nip and direction" – once he bowled to Khan in the practice during the 1980s. Hussain started commentating in Urdu commentary which distinguished him from his contemporaries. His distinguished Urdu commentary career spanned several decades, from the 1970s to the 2000s. For cricket coverage between the 1975 and 2003 World Cups, he travelled almost every Test cricket nation.

Administration and journalism Hussain remained the president of the KCCA for two terms, and a member for many years. He was one of the founders of Jang Cricket Club. Cricket commentator, Chishty Mujahid, paid tribute to his services and said that he was a multifaceted personality as a cricket administrator, commentator, journalist, critic, analyst, organizer and much more. Hussain continuously wrote weekly cricket columns for the Daily Jang, the Pakistan's largest and oldest circulation newspaper, for almost four decades.

Personal life Hussain was born in November 1929 in Amritsar, Punjab, British Raj (now India). His funeral was offered at Abu Bakar Siddiq mosque, DHA Phase-II, and he was buried at Gizri graveyard later that day. Hussain's granddaughter, Khizra, said at his death that "he was so loved that at the funeral we weren't given a chance to cry because people kept telling us stories about him and his generosity."

Former captains of the Pakistan cricket team Javed Miandad, Wasim Bari, Rashid Latif, cricket commentator Chishti Mujahid, former KCCA president Sirajul Islam Bukhari, and many other ex-Test cricketers attended his funeral. Miandad, offering his condolences, said that "Hussain had a fan following of his own and served the game with distinction." The interim chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi, said that "he was an informed, easygoing and affable personality; his death will be widely mourned by the journalist and broadcast community as well as the cricketing fraternity across the country".