Rangers Cricket Club celebrates 56th anniversary

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Rangers Cricket Club, one of the oldest cricket clubs of the country, celebrated its 56th birthday with traditional enthusiasm at the NBP Sports Complex in Clifton, Karachi, on April 13.

Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Secretary Communications to Government of Pakistan, in his telephonic address on the occasion, praised the untiring efforts of the officials of the Rangers CC to have kept the club operational for more than five decades. 

“It’s really gladdening to find the Rangers CC working with the same intensity today even after 55 years after its establishment. It has been one of the leading cricket clubs of Karachi and its role in the development of the game from the grassroots level merits recognition,” he remarked. 

“Its founder members may have retired from service from the various institutions they worked for but they have not lost the passion to run the Rangers CC which remains very dear to their heart,” Shoaib Siddiqui, also having served at the position of Commissioner, Karachi, complimented. 

Dr Waqar Masood Khan, a former Secretary Finance to Government of Pakistan, and President of the Rangers CC, expressed the desire to make the club more proactive in order to fulfill its cherished goals. 

“Although we are today celebrating 56 years of our existence, I find that it’s about time to turn it around by conducting meetings a bit more regularly to acquire funds and utilize them for carrying out more activities for our youngsters who deserve to be given more exposure for unfolding their talents,” the Rangers CC President stated. 

 Acknowledging the meritorious services of the club secretary, Zia-ul-Hasan, who was also present on the occasion, he floated the idea of compilation of a book documenting the 56-year old history of the club. 

Rangers CC, in accordance with its traditions, honoured its outstanding performers for the 2018-19 season, who were presented shields and kits, in the annual ceremony. 

Ahmed Hussain was declared as the best batsman while Nasir Ali was adjudged as the best bowler. The award for the best all-rounder was clinched by Babar Hussain while S M Babar and Hayatullah Khan claimed the prizes for the best wicketkeeper and the best fielder respectively. 

The Rangers CC shields were also presented to the Municipal Commissioner, Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rahman and former IG Sindh, Asad Jahangir Khan, while the trio of Saleem Swelah, Umar Shahid and Asim Altaf was recognized for their performance for the club during decades of 1960s and 1970s. 

The function was also attended by eminent personalities which included Iqbal Mahmood, Kunwar Idris, Anwar Haji Karim and Amin Dawood besides Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari, former President, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA).