KARACHI, 15 March 2005 — Veteran Pakistani cricket commentator and journalist Omar Kureishi died in Karachi yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 78.
Kureishi died in a hospital where he was admitted on March 7 after suffering from blood pressure and breathing problems for quite sometime. He was shifted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Kureishi was born in 1927 in Murree. After getting formal education at Puna and Bombay he completed his graduation from a university in California. Kureishi along with Jamshed Marker in the 50s started cricket commentary for radio and brought many memorable victories of Pakistan from the cricket ground to the masses through his commentary.
He was also the manager of the Pakistan team in the 70s. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan expressed deep sorrow over his death, saying Kureishi had achieved the rare status of becoming a “legend” in the sport during his lifetime.
“His passing away has deprived the cricketing public of a colossus in journalism and broadcasting, who will be mourned by cricket lovers all over the world and especially in Pakistan,” Khan said.
