Fifa world cup, simplified

The Fifa World Cup is underway and like many other nations, Pakistanis are enthusiastically watching matches, cheering for their favourite teams and organising football get togethers (GTs in urban elite lingo). Although we have come some way in embracing this sport from mere viewers to actual participants, both at home via domestic tourneys (Pakistan Premiere…

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A midsummers tale

Not to be outdone with all that Pakistan’s cricket board has managed to provide to our nation in the last month or so, thrill wise our boyz are still at it making waves wherever they go. In fact I think its safe to say that no team in the world’s history can come up with…

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That’s just not cricket

ALSO PUBLISHED ON THE DAWN BLOG Sub-continental cricket is of a different form than the game played internationally. The rules are the same, yes, but only in this part of the world is cricket treated as a way of life, rather than as a sport. Only here is a cricketer deemed so infallible that fans…

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When we were champions

ALSO PUBLISHED ON THE DAWN BLOG “Hassan Sardar to Kalimullah, Kalimullah takes the ball into the D, he dodges one, two players, he shoots. Kalimullah has just scored a goal for Pakistan in the Olympics” This is an example of some of the voices that are burnt into my memory. Voices from a time when…

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Shame on Cricket & Pakistan

Cricket these days is not how it used to be. This is the understatement of the year as cricket is actually transformed ala 20 20 into something many of us cannot even understand anymore. Oh sure its hit and giggle and seemed fun in the start but the whole ambiance seems to be eroding the…

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Aman ki faktha roasted at Ipl

I have been living life in a vacuum for the past few days.. yes sir, my left eyes  sudden inflammation prompted my doctor to proclaim all screen related activities such as TV, PC, Iphone completely off for a period till said inflammation gets better. Thus with no input other than word of mouth or music…

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Keep that trophy

Everyone knows south Asians love cricket, they live it they breathe it and all that other cliche stuff. What is not cliche however is when Pakistan and India play a cricket match. Far from it, its not even a match by my qualifications, its some sort of quasi mental war which both countries populace goes…

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Cricket: science & skills

When the Pakistan team won the 20 20 world cup it was as usual against all odds. No one expected us to be even there in the finals but we were and to the joy of the entire nation we swept aside the Sri lankan’s quite clinically. Back home people went mad as this was…

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Fall from grace?

Cricket is a very cruel sport. Less than a month ago the whole nation was cheering as Yunis khan and his team won the world 20 20 cup, they were heralded as heros for beating Srilanka in the final so clinically, however the test series they have now lost in Srilanka has brought out the…

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