JustineLaguerre: Put Up A Entry

2026-04-30T04:58:37Z

Put Up A Entry

New page

{{short description|Cricket commentator}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Munir Hussain
| image = Munir_Hussain.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|11|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Amritsar]], British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|7|29|1929|11|29|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Karachi]], Pakistan
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm [[Fast bowling|medium-fast]]
| role = [[Bowling (cricket)|Bowler]]
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches1 = 1
| runs1 = 12
| bat avg1 = 6.00
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 10
| deliveries1 = 174
| wickets1 = 2
| bowl avg1 = 32.00
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/64
| catches/stumpings1= 0/–
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/41912.html ESPNcricinfo
| date = 26 August
| year = 2013
}}

'''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 cricket team|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''.<ref name="SS">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/659447.html|title=A servant of cricket|first=Saad|last=Shafqat|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|date=6 August 2013|access-date=27 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="dawn2">{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1032837|title=Legendary commentator Munir Hussain passes away|agency=Agencies|author=Reporter|date=30 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|work=Dawn}}</ref> 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".<ref name="SS"/> He also served as the president of the [[Karachi City Cricket Association]] (KCCA).

==Career==

===Cricket===
Hussain was a good seamer with pace who played a lot of club cricket.<ref name="SS"/> He made his single first-class appearance, during the 1969–70 [[Quaid-i-Azam Trophy]] for Kalat against [[Quetta cricket team|Quetta]].<ref name="espncricinfo">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/656237.html|title=Urdu commentator Munir Hussain dies|first=Umar|last=Farooq|date=29 July 2013|access-date=29 July 2013|publisher=ESPNricinfo}}</ref> [[Captain (cricket)|Captaining]] his team, he scored 12 [[Runs (cricket)|runs]] in the match. As a right-arm [[Fast bowling|medium-fast bowler]], Hussain took 2 [[wicket]]s for 64 runs. Former [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] captain [[Imran Khan]] praised his "nip and direction" – once he bowled to Khan in the practice during the 1980s.<ref name="SS"/>

===Commentator===
The late 1960s, Radio Pakistan and PTV were broadcasting commentary only in English, which was not clearly understandable to most Pakistani cricket fans. Hussain was the first to put forward the idea of having [[Urdu]] commentary.<ref name="SS"/> He started commentating in Urdu during the 1969 Jang Gold Cup final, a match between National Sports and Clifton Gymkhana played at the Youth Centre, Nazimabad; in the match 13 [[Test cricket|Pakistani Test cricketers]] were playing.<ref name="Dawn1">{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/710517/flashback-over-to-munir-hussain|title=Flashback: 'Over to Munir Hussain …'|date=14 April 2012|access-date=27 August 2013|newspaper=Dawn|location=Pakistan}}</ref> Hussain started commentating in Urdu commentary which distinguished him from his contemporaries.<ref name="SS"/><ref name="nation">{{cite web|url=https://www.nation.com.pk/30-Jul-2013/cricket-commentator-munir-hussain-dies|title=Cricket commentator Munir Hussain dies|author=Staff Reporter|date=30 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|work=The Nation|location=Pakistan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828061502/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/sports/30-Jul-2013/cricket-commentator-munir-hussain-dies|archive-date=28 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> His distinguished Urdu commentary career spanned several decades, from the 1970s to the 2000s.<ref name="dunya">{{cite web|url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/Cricket/185574-Legendary-cricket-commentator-Munir-Hussain-passes|title=Legendary cricket commentator Munir Hussain passes away at 83|date=30 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|publisher=[[Dunya News]]}}</ref>
For cricket coverage between the [[1975 Cricket World Cup|1975]] and [[2003 Cricket World Cup|2003 World Cups]], he travelled almost every Test cricket nation.<ref name="dawn2"/><ref name="dailytimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\07\30\story_30-7-2013_pg2_3|title=Pakistan's famous cricket commentator Hussain dies|author=Staff Report|date=30 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|work=Daily Times|location=Pakistan}}</ref>

[[File:Munir Hussain (middle) during commentary.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Munir Hussain (middle) during commentary]]

===Administration and journalism===
Hussain remained the president of the KCCA for two terms, and a member for many years.<ref name="SS"/><ref name="nation"/> He also headed Pakistan Cricket Commentators Club (PCCC) in 2013.<ref name="USA">{{cite web|url=http://pakistantimesusa.net/pakistan/?p=3052|title=Renowned Urdu commentator 'Munir Hussain' dies at the age 84|date=29 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|work=Pakistan Times (USA)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201230117/http://pakistantimesusa.net/pakistan/?p=3052|archive-date=1 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="dawn2"/>

Hussain's first passion was journalism; his earliest successful magazine was ''Filmasia'', dedicated to the Indian and Pakistani film industries.<ref name ="SS"/> ''Akhbar-e-Watan'', a monthly Urdu cricket magazine, was edited by him from 1977 to 2010.<ref name="news30">{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-10-193202-Legendary-commentator-Munir-Hussain-passes-away|title=Legendary Comentator Munir Hussain passes away|work=[[The News International]]|location=Pakistan|date=30 July 2013|access-date=18 August 2013|archive-date=1 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801191504/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-10-193202-Legendary-commentator-Munir-Hussain-passes-away|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="tribune">{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/594295/munir-hussain-a-loss-for-pakistan-cricket/|title=Munir Hussain: A loss feo Pakistan cricket|date=29 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|work=[[The Express Tribune]]}}</ref><ref name="ppi">{{cite web|url=http://ppinewsagency.com/129662/pakistan-cricket-board-condoles-death-of-munir-hussain/|title=Pakistan Cricket Board condoles death of Munir Hussain|date=29 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|agency=PPI News Agency|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915161733/http://ppinewsagency.com/129662/pakistan-cricket-board-condoles-death-of-munir-hussain/|archive-date=15 September 2013}}</ref> Hussain continuously wrote weekly cricket columns for the ''[[Daily Jang]]'', the Pakistan's largest and oldest circulation newspaper, for almost four decades.<ref name="SS"/><ref name="tribune"/>

==Awards==
Hussain received the Best Urdu Commentator of the Decade Award for 1985–95.<ref name="espncricinfo"/> The [[Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation]] (PBC) presented him the Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref name="dawn2"/><ref name="nation"/> On the tenth anniversary of the [[1992 Cricket World Cup]], won by [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]], he was also one of the recipients of the PCB's World Cup Legends Award.<ref name="espncricinfo"/><ref name="SAMAATV">{{cite web|url=http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=69673|title=Legendary cricket commentator Munir Hussain dies|date=29 July 2013|access-date=27 August 2013|publisher=[[Samaa TV]]|author=Staff Report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108132202/http://www.samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=69673|archive-date=8 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Munir Hussain (left on bottom row), a pioneer of Urdu commentary in Pakistan.jpg|thumb|right|Munir Hussain (left on bottom row), a pioneer of Urdu commentary in Pakistan]]

==Personal life==
Hussain was born in November 1929 in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British Raj]] (now [[India]]).<ref name="news30"/> At a very young age, he moved to [[Karol Bagh]] – a neighbourhood of [[Delhi]] – where he spent the early years of his life. He migrated from Amritsar to Pakistan in 1947.<ref name="SS"/> Hussain was married and had four children, two daughters and two sons.<ref name="dawn2"/> Iqbal Munir, one of his sons, is a cricket [[photojournalist]].<ref name="SS"/>

==Death==
Hussain suffered from ulcers and underwent blood transfusion 60 times.<ref name="tribune"/> Despite suffering from [[knee arthritis]], that limited his mobility, his health was good.<ref name="SS"/> Before his death on 29 July 2013, Hussain watched the second [[Twenty20 International]] played between Pakistan and the [[West Indies national cricket team|West Indies]].<ref name="SS"/> He died at the age of 83 from a heart attack in [[Karachi]].<ref name="nation"/><ref name="dunya"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Urdu commentary legend Munir Hussain dies|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-111509-Urdu-commentary-legend-Munir-Hussain-dies|date=29 July 2013|access-date=29 July 2013|work=The News International|location=Pakistan}}</ref> His funeral was offered at Abu Bakar Siddiq mosque, DHA Phase-II, and he was buried at Gizri graveyard later that day.<ref name="dawn2"/> 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."<ref name="tribune"/>

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.<ref name="dawn2"/> Miandad, offering his condolences, said that "Hussain had a fan following of his own and served the game with distinction."<ref name="nation"/> 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".<ref name=espncricinfo/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cricinfo|id=41912}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hussain, Munir}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:Pakistani cricketers]]
[[Category:Kalat cricketers]]
[[Category:Writers from Amritsar]]
[[Category:People from Karachi]]
[[Category:Cricket writers]]
[[Category:Pakistani cricket commentators]]
[[Category:Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Burials at Gizri Graveyard]]

Munir Hussain (commentator) - Revision history

JustineLaguerre: Put Up A Entry