Famous Sports In Pakistan

Here are some Sports that are being played in Pakistan at all different Levels.

Hockey

The Pakistan Hockey Federation is the official organization that manages the national hockey team of Pakistan. The Pakistan Hockey Federation is a member of the International Hockey Federation. Pakistan won the Hockey World Cups (Men’s) in the years 1960, 1968, 1984, and 1994. Pakistan Hockey team also won the men’s hockey championship trophies in the year 1978, 1980, and 1994.

Cricket:

One of the eminent Sports of Pakistan is Cricket. Cricket in Pakistan is played in almost every corner of the country. Pakistan has created some world-famous bowlers and batsmen like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam ul Huq, Wasim Akram, and many more. The National Cricket Team is a permanent member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). In 1992, the Pakistan Cricket team won the World Cup under the captainship of Imran Khan.

Squash:

In Pakistan, Squash is played in different parts of Pakistan. It has gained much popularity over the years yet still much have to be done to build up the reputation and International status of this game. Our country has given great players of squash to the world though there are only 400 squash courts in Pakistan. Aftab Jawaid, M.Yasin, Mohibullah Khan, Gogi Alauddin, Azam Khan, Roshan Khan, Jansher Khan, and Hashim are among the squash champions of the world. Jahangir khan is the President of the World Squash Federation. He was the unbeaten player for almost five and a half years. He won the World Open Squash Tournament eight times.

Tennis:

Tennis is also a very popular Sport in Pakistan, and Pakistanis compete in various International events. The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) organizes the game in the country. Khawaja Saeed Hai was the first Pakistani to reach a Grand Slam, playing at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the French Open where he made it to the third round. Haroon Rahim was the most successful, a winner of a number of ATP Singles and Doubles titles. The Pakistan Davis Cup Team formerly reached the world group play-offs, with the help of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, currently Pakistan’s number one, and Aqeel Khan, the number two.

Kabaddi:

Kabbadi is a traditional game in the country. Kabbadi in Pakistan is mainly organized by the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation. All the matches played by the country are administered by this organization. The most interesting Kabaddi match is that which takes place between India and Pakistan attracting the maximum number of spectators. Generally, countries of South Asia and South East Asia play Kabbadi.

Soccer:

The governing body of soccer in Pakistan is the Pakistan Football Federation. It is also known as PFF. Soccer is very famous among Pakistanis. Football in Pakistan is played as a source of amusement among the masses. Soccer in Pakistan is a sport played by people of all ages. The Pakistan Premier League started in 2004. This League substituted the National Championship. The beginning segment of Pakistan football is the Premier League of Pakistan.

Badminton:

The Pakistan Badminton Federation, formed in 1953, organizes the sport in Pakistan. Men’s players such as Irshad Ahmad and Saeed Malik, and Women’s players like Elsie Hunt and Nighat Sultana, have won a number of tournaments. Pakistan’s golden era was between the 50′s and 70′s.

Boxing:

Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) is the authority that monitors professional Boxing in Pakistan. It governs and arranges boxing matches in Pakistan. For amateur boxing, there is another regulating authority called The Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation(PABF). It organizes amateur boxing matches. Despite the lack of required equipment and facilities, Pakistan has faced success at Armature Level Boxing, Pakistan boxers have won medals at the Olympic as well as Commonwealth Games.

A Quetta-born Boxer Haider Ali won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 as a Featherweight and went on to become a Professional Boxer. Umer khan is another talented boxer. He is a member of the Pakistan Boxing Federation. He is also a member of the Pakistan under-19 team and has won different titles against Malaysia and the Philippines.

Athletics:

The 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 Abdul Khaliq, Ghulam Raziq, Mubarak Shah, Muhammad Talib, Ahmed Sajjad Cheema, Abid Hussain, Arshad Saleem, Ali Kamani, Nawaz, Mohammad Alam, and Muhammad Younis are some of the athletes who got prominence at either Asian or International levels, or both, winning gold medals for Pakistan.

In the early decades, Pakistanis held many Asian records including the Asian 100m and 200m records held by Abdul Khaliq. Pakistani female athletes have also represented Pakistan at the international level, such as Shabana Akhtar, who was the first Pakistani female athlete to participate in the Olympics. International events such as the Lahore Marathon take place in the country.

Polo:

Polo in Pakistan is considered to be a traditional sport. It is believed that Polo had its origin in Central Asia. In Central Asia, it has been a vital sport. Pakistan organizes the Shandur Polo Tournament. This tournament is held in the month of June. Many tourists and spectators come to Gilgit and Chitral located on the northern side of Pakistan. This Polo tournament started in the 1920s. The main of this event was to integrate British and diverse groups of people.

Football:

Football is the second most popular sport in Pakistan. Football has also enjoyed a powerful growth as a spectator sport and is slowly catching up to cricket in the TV ratings (2008 statistics). The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is the governing body in Pakistan. Football is played mostly on the local level, primarily in Baluchistan and Swat Valley.

These areas provide most of the players on the Pakistani national football team. The Pakistan Football Federation Women Organizing Committee (PFFWOC) is responsible for women’s football in Pakistan. In 2004, the Pakistan Premier League was established and is the first division of Pakistani football. The Pakistan National Football Challenge Cup is the national “knockout” cup competition in Pakistani football, run by the Pakistan Football Federation.