Sport in Pakistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Field hockey is the national sport of Pakistan but cricket is the most popular game[citation needed]. Traditional games like Kabaddi and other well known games are also played.
[edit] National Participation
[edit] History
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had a great love for sport and fully released the vital role it played in the development of Nations and inculcation of discipline among the masses.
In a meeting with the Organizing Committee of the First Pakistan Olympic Games held at Karachi the Quaid-i-Azam said to the first President of Pakistan Olympic Association Mr. Ahmed E.H. Jaffar: "Dedicate yourself to sports promotion, for when you and I are gone, leadership will go into the hands of Youth, and Youth is our wealth, a raw material, that must be hammered into shape, into burnished steel to strive and smite in defence - the defence of the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan - the defence of the ideology of Pakistan."
The first National Games were held at Polo Ground, Karachi from 23rd to 25th April, 1948. Sportsmen and officials from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and all the integrated Provincial units of West Pakistan took part in these Games. The total number of athletes was 140. No competitors were, however, invited from any foreign country. Competitions were held in track and field athletics, basketball, boxing, cycling, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.
[edit] International Participation
[edit] Popular sports in Pakistan
[edit] A1 Grand Prix Formula Racing Series
Adam Khan, the first Pakistani Grand prix driver has pledged to wear Pakistan flag whenever he races, as part of an initiative to integrate Pakistan into the exciting world professional motor sports. Ian Khan took part in FIA GT Championship.
- See also: A1 Team Pakistan
[edit] Adventure
[edit] Alpine
[edit] Athletics
Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) organizes athletic tournaments in Pakistan. Pakistani athletes compete in various athletic events. Some Pakistani Athletes have excelled in various events in the distant past including some like Ghulam Raziq, Mubarak Shah, John Permal, Muhammad Talib, Abid Hussain, Arshad Saleem, Ali Kamani and Nawaz and Muhammad Younis are some of the athletes who got prominence at either Asian or International levels, or both.[1]
[edit] Australian Rules football
Aussie Rules was established in Pakistan in 2006. The governing body is the AFL Pakistan. There are currently four football teams in Pakistan, all based in the Swat Valley around an educational institution.
[edit] Badminton
It is very popular in Pakistan and is played in neighbourhoods a lot and in Pakistan they call it 'Chiree Chika'
[edit] Baseball
Pakistan Baseball Federation organizes baseball leagues and tournaments in Pakistan. Pakistan Baseball Federation hosted 7th Asia Baseball Championship. [1]
[edit] Basketball
Basketball is growing by the day in Pakistan. Teenagers in the country have adopted the game nationwide and it is also being watched on TV accessed through satellite.
[edit] Billiards & Snooker
Snooker is one the rising sports in Pakistan. Pakistan has raised a few great players, namely, Sarwar Siddiqui, mohd. Yousuf and Amir Bux.
[edit] Bodybuilding
[edit] Boxing
Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) organizes boxing matches in Pakistan. The Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PABF) organized amateur matches.
[edit] Bridge
Contract Bridge was introduced in Pakistan sometimes in fifties. In fact our Bengali bretherns used to play Auction Bridge. Contract Bridge is the advanced form. It was usually played by the Army officers, Executives and people of the elite group. However, Duplicate Bridge - which is better known as Competitive Bridge was first introduced in Pakistan by Khaja Azeemuddin, a Civil Engineer by profession, who started Duplicate Bridge after forming 57-Club at Nazimabad.
His close aides were Kader Ali, Mahmood Ali. Khaja Azeemuddin's team ACE Club won first two bridge tournaments in Pakistan. Later it spread like a wild fire. Most of the Social Clubs in Karachi and Lahore reserved spaces for Contract Bridge and started holding Duplicate Bridge Tournaments. You can contact for a complete history - ameerhasan75@hotmail.com. Syed Ameer Hasan is the first person who introduced Duplicate Bridge in Sports Journalism and he also penned down the :History of Bridge in Pakistan.
[edit] Chess
[edit] Cricket
Pakistan's most popular sport, followed religiously, is cricket. Pakistan has produced several multi-talented players who have been among the best batsmen and bowlers in the world, including Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Almost every district and neighborhood in Pakistan has a cricket team and most people start playing from a young age. Pakistan has won some international cricket events, including the World Cup in 1992.
Pakistan has also produced some of the top ranked bowlers and batsmen in the world. Pakistan's bowlers are known for developing and perfecting the art of reverse swing bowling.
- See Also : Pakistani cricket team,
[edit] Cycling
[edit] Equestrian
Equestrianism had traditionally been limited to the upper-echelon of Pakistani society up until the end of the 20th century. Private sponsorship and government funding for the sport has increased dramatically. [2]Pakistan Eventing began in 2005 and in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Pakistan (EFP) and aims to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics as Pakistan's first Olympic equestrian entry.
[edit] Field Hockey National sport
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is the official organization of field Hockey in Pakistan. The Pakistan men's team has won three gold medals at the Olympics and lifted the Hockey World Cup four times. It has also won the most number of Asian gold medals and is the only Asian team to have won the prestigious Champions Trophy. It has been consistently ranked amongst the top teams in the world.
Pakistan Hockey Federation Women Wing (PHFWW) is the official organization of Women's field Hockey in Pakistan. Razia Malik has been appointed Captain of Pakistan women hockey team to participate in the Asian Games Qualifying Round at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from June 4 to 11, 2006.
[edit] Football
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is the official organization in Pakistan. Football (soccer) is played mostly on a local level, primarily in Balochistan and North West Frontier Provinces. Those areas provide most of the players on the national team, though mostly on a local level.
Pakistan Football Federation Women Organizing Committee (PFFWOC) is responsible for Women's football in Pakistan. Islamabad will host Second National Women Football Championship from August 19, 2006.
In 2004, the Pakistan Premier League was established in place of the National Championship. It is the first division of Pakistani football.
The Pakistan National Football Challenge Cup is the national "knockout" cup competition in Pakistani football, run by Pakistan Football Federation. It was created in 2005, in place of the President PFF Cup.
[edit] Golf
The Pakistan Open was founded in 1967 and became an Asian Tour event in 2006. Chris Rodgers won the Pakistan Open in 2006. 2007 event will be held in January having increased prize money on $ 250,000.
[edit] Gymnastics
[edit] Gulli Danda
Gulli Danda is a local sport popular in rural areas of Pakistan.
[edit] Handball
[edit] Judo
[edit] Jump Rope
[edit] Kabaddi
Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) organized kabaddi matches in Pakistan.
[edit] Karate
Pakistan has many Karate clubs, and tournaments are routinely held.Recently,there has been a trend of teaching Karate in schools as a healthy activity.Teenagers these days,prefer joining some Karate club to improve their physical fitness.
SYED MANSOOR HUSSAIN - BLACK BELT 1ST DON (NATIONAL CHAMPION 2004)
[edit] Polo
Polo, which is believed to have originated in Central Asia, and continues to be an important sport there with several large annual competitions. The Shandur Polo Tournament, played at the world's highest pologround, is one of the biggest tourist draws to Chitral and Gilgit in Northern Pakistan.
[edit] Rifle Shooting
[edit] Rowing
[edit] Rugby
The Pakistan Rugby Union was formally established in 2000 and gained membership with the Asian Rugby Football Union in 2000. In 2003, Pakistan fielded a national team for the first time, participating in the Provincial Tournament in Sri Lanka. In Nov of 2004, it participated in the 19th Asian championship in Hong Kong. Pakistan rugby union then became an associate member of the IRB (International Rugby Board).
There are three major clubs in Pakistan; Islamabad Rugby Football Club (IRFC) also known as the "JINNS", Lahore Rugby Football Club (LRFC), and Karachi Rugby Football Club (KRFC).
www.pakistanrugby.com
[edit] Sailing
[edit] Shooting Ball
[edit] Shuttlecock
[edit] Ski
Skiing is a popular sport in the northern area resorts of Pakistan.
[edit] Squash
Squash is another sport that has a large following in Pakistan. Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan are considered legends of the sport and have won several World Squash Championships and other tournaments.
Squash. Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan are considered to be two of the greatest squash players of all time. Pakistan has won the squash World Open 17 times, the highest by any nation. Carla Khan represented Pakistan in recent Squash tournament.
- See Also : Category:Pakistani squash players
[edit] Swimming
[edit] Table tennis
[edit] Taekwondo
Basically a Korean martial art. Taekwondo is one of the most played, learnt and famous martial art in Pakistan almost in every major city of Pakistan there are clubs of Taekwondo where boys of all ages learn Taekwondo Mr.Iftikhar Ahmad Tabassum is the President Of Pakistan Taekwondo Federation Especially in Lahore under the supervision of Pakistan's National Coach Babar Hussain (chairman of Tiger Taekwondo Club Lahore TTCL) And his vice-coach National Champion Saadullah Bhalli (Black Belt 1st Don), TTCL has produced many champions who have represented Pakistan all over the worl. And the club has won 5 national championships from which 4 were in a row(1995-2001). Pakistanis have done well in the game of Taekwondo. In Asia it is ranked with the teams like India And Iran. Most Significant players of TTCL who have won championships at International and national level are :
Hafiz Shehzad Ali - Black Belt 3 Don (National Champion 1992-1993)/ Won Bronz Medal In Doha Olympics 2007
Usman Agha - Black Belt 1 Don (National Champion 1995-1996)/ Won Gold Medal In India 2003
Shahbaz Saleem - Red Belt (National Champion 1997-1998)
Haroon Abdul Samad - Green Belt Senior (National Champion 1999-2000)
M.Aleem Maqsood Basraa - Blue Belt (National Champion 2000-2001) Syed Mansoor Hussain - Black Belt 1st Don (National player}/Represent Islamabad Teakwondo Assosiation
[edit] Tennis
Tennis is also very popular and Pakistanis compete in various international events. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi recently defeated Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand to win the Asia-Oceana Zone 1 section of the Davis Cup.
[edit] Volleyball
Volleyball is popular in the Pakistan Armed Forces. Inter-services games are regularly played. It is also popular amongst young people attending private schools in Karachi.
[edit] Weightlifing
[edit] Yachting
Byram Dinshawji Avari represented Pakistan at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok and again at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. He also won a silver medal at the Enterprise World Championship held in Canada in 1978.
[edit] Board Games
Board games are very popular in Pakistan especially among women.
[edit] Carom Board
Carom Board is a family of tabletop games sharing a similarity in that their mechanics lie somewhere between billiards and shuffleboard.
[edit] Ludo
Ludo is very popular board game in Pakistan.
[edit] Monopoly
Monopoly is know as Crorepati Beaupar' in Pakistan
[edit] Card Games
There are several Card games very popular in Pakistan.
[edit] Blackjack
[edit] Bridge
[edit] Gin
[edit] Poker
[edit] Ruff
Ruff is popular in Pakistan.
[edit] Rummy
[edit] Trump
Trump is popular in Pakistan.
[edit] Children's Games
[edit] Tag Game
Tag (also known as it, had, he, tig, chasing, and other names) is an informal sport or game (see also playground games) that usually involves one or more players attempting to "tag" other players by touching them with their hands.
[edit] Hopscotch
[edit] Puzzles and Quizzes
[edit] Bait Bazi
Bait Bazi is played by using poetry verses. A player has to reply by another verse starting with the last alphabet of the verse used by the previous player. You cannot repeat a verse already been used. The rules becane more stringent for experienced players like using verses only of only one Poet or a theme. It is popular with women and peort enthusiasts in Pakistan.
[edit] Popular Sports on the Rise
Other popular sports followed on TV include;
- Formula One motor racing
- Basketball (NBA)
- Rugby
- Table tennis
- Chess
- Badminton
- Gymnastics
- Wrestling (WWE)
[edit] See also
Life in Pakistan |
Cinema • Climate • Cuisine • Culture • Demographics • Economy • Education • Entertainment • Flag • Foreign relations • Geography • Government • History • Holidays • Languages • Military • Music • Politics • Religion • Sports • Transport |
[edit] External links
Categories: Cleanup from September 2006 | All pages needing cleanup | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with sections needing expansion | Articles lacking sources from December 2006 | All articles lacking sources | Sport in Pakistan