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Along with Champions of Squash and Hockey, Cricket is
the by far the most popular sport in Pakistan, and they have been
considered the most dominant country in the sport of cricket, with
numerous records under. Traditional sports like Kabaddi and other well
known games are also played. The Pakistan Sports Board was created in
1962 by the Ministry of Education as a corporate body for the purposes
of promoting and developing uniform standards of competition in sports
in Pakistan comparable to the standards prevailing internationally, and
regulating and controlling sports in Pakistan on a national basis. The
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, now has control over the
Pakistan Sports Board. The PSB controls all 39 Sporting Federations. The
Pakistan Sports Board is support by the Pakistan Sports Trust which
assists hard up players and associations so they can continue
participating in sports.
Over recent years there has been an increase in sporting activity in
Pakistan, with Pakistani sportsmen and women participating at many
national and international events. Also, more international tournaments
now take place in Pakistan. The size of the teams Pakistan sends, and
the number of events they participate in the Olympic Games, Asian Games,
World Games and Commonwealth Games has increased since the turn of the
century.
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Cricket
It may look like an attractive flowering shrub, but don't be
fooled! Oleander is one of the most poisonous of all commonly grown
garden plants, and though it's especially toxic to children it is often
planted in school yards. It is a hearty bush and grows on many different
continents, and with beautiful, fragrant blossoms, it is tempting to
include it in any garden... just don't even think about touching it or
tasting the leaves or stems.
A small child can experience symptoms after handling just one leaf from
the plant, though typically it takes more contact for severe reactions
to take place. Upon consumption, the poison causes intestinal issues
like vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), excess salivation, and
cramping/pain. It can also cause a racing, irregular heart rate, poor
circulation, tremors, seizures, coma, and death.
In India, there are many cases of people consuming mashed Oleander seeds
to attempt suicide.
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Hockey
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is the national governing body of
field hockey in Pakistan. The Pakistan Hockey Federation Women Wing (PHFWW)
is the official organization of Women's Field Hockey in Pakistan. The
Pakistan men's team has won 3 gold medals at the Olympics and lifted the
Hockey World Cup 4 times, a World Record. It has also won the most
number of Asian gold medals and is the only Asian team to have won the
prestigious Champions Trophy with 3 titles. It has been consistently
ranked amongst the top teams in the world. Notable players include:
World-Record holder Sohail Abbas, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Saqlain and
Waseem Ahmad.
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Squash
Squash is another popular Sport that has a large following in Pakistan,
with Pakistan dominating the Sport for a period of time. Jahangir Khan
and Jansher Khan are considered legends of the Sport and have won
several World Squash Championships and other tournaments. Pakistani
players have won the Squash World Open 17 times, and British Open 12
times, the highest by any nation. Carla Khan, one of Pakistan's most
successful Sportswomen, is one of a number of men and women who
represent Pakistan. The Pakistan Squash Federation is the governing body
of the Sport in the country. The Pakistan Open tournament is one of the
premier events of the Sport in the country. Every province of the
country holds its own men's and women's championships. Some other
notable players from Pakistan include: Hashim Khan, Torsam Khan and
Qamar Zaman.
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Polo
Polo, is believed to have originated in Central Asia, and continues to
be an important sport within the country with several large annual
competitions. The Shandur Polo Tournament, played at the world's highest
pologround every June, is one of the biggest tourist draws to Chitral
and Gilgit in Northern Pakistan. The Shandur Pass was picked as the
location because, at 11,000 ft above sea level, it was seen as a ridge
between heaven and hell. Key tournaments of the season are the Uprising
Day tournament in early November in Gilgit, or the Pakistan Independence
Day tournament in Skardu, early August. The Pakistan Polo Association (PPA)
organise the sport, and the national side takes part in the Polo World
Cup. Polo is played professionally with a number of Argentine players
playing in Pakistan. Notable players include: Murad Ismail, Raja Sami
Ullah, Raza Muhammad Ali Khan Bangash and Hissam Ali Haider. Raza
Bangash is Pakistan's No.1 Polo Player since June 2009 Playing for
President's Body Guard Team.
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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, Ahmed Sajjad Cheema, Abid Hussain, Arshad Saleem, Ali Kamani and
Nawaz ,Mohammad alam and Muhammad Younis are some of the athletes who
got prominence at either Asian or International levels, or both, winning
Golds for Pakistan.[3] In the early decades, Pakistani’s held many Asian
records including the Asian 100m and 200m record held by Abdul Khaliq.
Pakistani female athletes have also represented Pakistan at
international level, such as Shabana Akhtar, who was the first Pakistani
female athlete to participate at the Olympics. International events such
as the Lahore Marathon take place in the country.
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