Cricket

After a long time, something has given Pakistanis a reason to rejoice and smile heartily, collectively as a nation. Sri Lanka and Pakistan came together in a wonderfully cheering way and the nation earned the right on Sunday to a raucously united celebration for the first time in 17 years. On a midsummer afternoon in [...]

Mohammed Khalil, the Pakistani bus driver who sped away risking his life with Sri Lankan cricketers on board, as terrorists sprayed bullets before a Cricket match in Lahore, is being honoured in Sri Lanka as a hero. Cricket officials heaped praise on Khalil on Monday and gave him cash rewards for having braved gunfire and [...]

The Pakistan board is hoping to rekindle interest in its domestic cricket by drawing big crowds for the second Twenty20 Cup tournament being held under lights in Karachi through to March 4. Leading Pakistan players including batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and all-rounder Shahid Afridi will miss the tournament to rest injuries. Pakistan launches [...]

Until two years ago, playing sport in public had been virtually unknown for women in Pakistan. Many feared the reaction of conservative Islamic groups. In April, a mixed marathon in Lahore faced opposition from hardliners, who clashed with police. But it was not until December 2004 the PCB finally recognised the women’s game, a decision [...]

The last few days in Pakistan have demonstrated as clearly as ever that the contrast between the popularity of Test and one-day cricket here remains as stark as ever, probably more than in any other Test-playing country. As much as the emphatic Test series win over England was cheered throughout the country, yesterday showed that [...]

Jalil, known as “Chacha Pakistani” (Uncle Pakistani), has travelled around the world as the cheerleader of the team and is now paid by the Pakistan Cricket Board to rouse the supporters. Cricket remains Pakistan’s number one sport and the performances of the national team are passionately followed by the population of 150 million. Jalil made [...]

But, like many things about Inzamam, first impressions can be misleading. Just as he’s not as overweight as many would have you believe, or as slow between the wickets (the run-out against India is one of only three he’s suffered in 102 Tests), nor is he the rural dolt. The youngest of six children, he [...]

BOB WOOLMER has always been one of cricket’s greatest enthusiasts and students but he is relishing his present role as coach of Pakistan. Nowhere is there more natural aptitude for cricket than on the sub-continent. The ideas are no different from those being applied in other Test-playing countries by other independent coaches, but in some [...]

England’s ‘Barmy Army’ of cricket supporters started to arrive in Pakistan yesterday, hoping their bawdy chants can help the team keep up its Ashes-winning form. The ‘Barmy Army’ are famous for their raucous cheers and humorous songs and travel across the globe to cheer England, who are still on a high from last month’s 2-1 [...]

Pakistan’s nationwide hunt for fast bowlers to tame England in their forthcoming home series has unearthed a six foot six inch (1.98 metre) fast bowler, coach Bob Woolmer told AFP. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) launched the hunt for pacers in 10 cities across the country and picked up six fast bowlers for the national [...]