Sports in Pakistan are played with a lot of fervor and enthusiasm. To a casual observer it might seem that only the game of cricket is followed, played and revered here but Pakistan has produced world class hockey, squash, snooker and polo players too.

Many sports in Pakistan are patronized by Pakistan armed forces as they have the infrastructure and resources to promote these games. A few are germinating due to individual efforts of sports enthusiasts. Many traditional games are also part of Pakistan sports culture that are played and enjoyed in the rural areas.

♦Cricket:

Pakistan inherited cricket from the colonial era but stamped its supremacy on the cricket world within a few years after its independence. Pakistan cricket team has excelled in all forms of cricket both at home and away. There have been many cricketing legends in its ranks that have set world records that remain unbeaten till date. Pakistan were winners of 1992 Cricket World Cup and 2009 Twenty20 World Cup.

Cricket matches between Pakistan and arch rivals India send the sport crazy nation into frenzy with young and old alike remaining glued to television sets, radios and Internet to stay abreast of the latest scores. Cricket in Pakistan is played on streets, in parks, on roof tops, in basements, stadiums and any even patch of ground where make-shift wickets can be erected. The amount of enthusiasm this game generates in Pakistan is simply astounding.

♦Field Hockey:

Hockey is the national game of Pakistan but has taken a back seat to cricket in regards to its popularity and quality. The years between 1960 and 1986 were the golden era for Pakistan hockey during which they twice held three of the world’s most prestigious hockey titles at the same time - the Asian, Olympic and the World Cup crowns. . No other hockey playing nation has achieved this feat in the history of the game so far. After this period, its popularity declined and few world class players were produced. Players like Shahnaz Sheikh, Samiullah who was known as the flying horse, Sohail Abbas and Islahuddin brought great glory to Pakistan because of their immense talent and mind boggling records.

♦Squash:

The history of squash had a humble origin in Pakistan when it first started in 1950 with the patronage of Pakistan Air Force. But soon Pakistan went on to dominate the world squash scene for over four decades. It owes its state of high glory to a single Khan family. Beginning with Hashim Khan of Nawakali in NWFP, the brothers, sons and nephews carried the torch of fame and fortune. Jahangir Khan, Hashim Khan’s nephew won the British Open title ten consecutive times from 1982 to 1992 - a feat that may remain unbeaten forever. The mantle was then taken over by another Khan- Jansher Khan- Jahangir’s cousin who ruled the squash court for the next six years. Today, the squash is suffering a decline too as new and young players have not been able to emulate the feats of their forerunners.

♦Snooker:

Snooker is also a popular game especially among the young Pakistanis. Pakistan participates in many snooker tournaments abroad and wins regularly. Mohammed Yusuf, Saleh Mohammad, Khurram Agha and Naveen Parwani are notable names in Pakistani snooker.

♦Lawn Tennis:

This is a recent addition to Pakistan sports and owes its existence to private schooling, expensive coaching and personal efforts of individual players rather than a concerted effort by Pakistan Sports Board. Aisam-ul-Haq is a bright star of tennis but such stars are few as yet.

♦Polo:

An article on sports in Pakistan would not be complete without mentioning polo that is played extensively in northern areas of the country along with sports like tent pegging, paragliding and tug of war. According to history books, Major Cobb, the British Political Agent of Northern Areas in 1936 used to play polo at night when it was a full moon. Because of this the Shandur polo ground came to be referred to as the “Moony Polo Ground”. Today, Shandur Polo festival is one of its kinds of festivals where tourists come from all over the world to witness the speed and skill of riders and horses alike at11,000 feet high polo ground at Shandur in Chitral.

♦Cycling

The eleven-stage 1648 kilometers Tour de Pakistan Road Cycle Race is considered to be one of the most challenging cycling tournaments in Asia. Many international teams participate in this tournament alongside national and corporate teams from Pakistan. Cyclists begin their journey from the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam in Karachi and end it in Peshawar taking them through a various cities of Sindh, Punjab and NWPF on the famous Grand Trunk (GT) Road. It is a highly anticipated event although foreign participation has gone down after the terror attacks in Pakistan.

♦Traditional Sports:

Traditional sports like kabbadi ( a game of strength and strategy), kashti (local wrestling) and camel races are enjoyed in local fairs in small villages and towns across the country. Some sports are localized like skiing in high mountains of Malam Jabba, yachting in port areas of Karachi and Gwadar and desert jeep rallies in Cholistan Desert.