KARACHI, July 29: Renowned cricket commentator and former president of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) Munir Hussain died after protracted illness here on Monday. He was 83.

Munir was laid to rest at Gizri Graveyard on Monday evening.

Earlier his Namaz-e-Janaza was offered at Masjid Abu Bakar Siddiq, DHA Phase-II.

He left behind two sons and two daughters besides the widow.

The funeral was attended by former Pakistan captains Wasim Bari, Javed Miandad, Rashid Latif, ex-Test cricketers Iqbal Qasim, Sadiq Mohammad, Tauseef Ahmed, Shoaib Mohammad, Salahuddin Sallu, Saleem Jaffar, cricket commentator Chishty Mujahid, Ex-KCCA president Prof. Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari, former Sindh minister Dost Mohammad Faizi, Sindh CM’s adviser Waqar Mehdi and a large number of KCCA zonal officials, umpires, journalists, friends and relatives.

Munir played a lone first-class game for Kalat scoring 12 runs and taking two wickets for 64 runs.

He was popularly known as the pioneer behind cricket commentary in Urdu and remained associated with the KCCA for about four decades.

He was also the founder of Pakistan’s first cricket magazine in Urdu titled Akhbaar-e-Watan which was published from 1977 to 2010.

Munir received the best Urdu commentator of the decade 1985-95 award from PTV. Besides, he was also conferred with the ‘Life Achievement Award’ by Radio Pakistan.

Munir was also amongst the recipients of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s World Cup Legends awards on the occasion of the 10th anniversary celebration of Pakistan team’s victory in 1992 World Cup.

Munir as a commentator travelled across the cricketing world, doing stints in the World Cups between 1975 and 2003, besides travelling to all the major cricket playing countries.

“Munir contributed greatly in promoting cricket as commentator, administrator and through his magazine,” Bukhari, a close associate of the late commentator, said.

They prayed to Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant fortitude to the bereaved family.

Acting chairman of the PCB Najam Sethi, chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and director general Javed Miandad offered their heartfelt condolences over the sad demise.

“Munir Bhai, a journalist and broadcaster of repute since early 1970s, had a fan following of his own. He was an informed, easygoing and affable personality; his death will be widely mourned by the journalist and broadcast community as well as cricketing fraternity across the country,” said the PCB chairman Najam Sethi in his condolence message.

“The PCB hierarchy and its entire staff pray to the Almighty to bestow the departed soul with eternal peace and grant the family and the dear ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” said a PCB spokesman.—Agencies