Asian Games played at my Country

This article is written for the promotion of the 17th Incheon Asian Games 2014. Here is a link for the website http://blog.incheon2014ag.com/traditional-sports-iagcrew2/

Pakistan is very is the land of games. Its soil has given birth to some of the popular sportsmen and women who have created history in different sports. People of Pakistan love games and thus different traditional, national and international sports are played in Pakistan. The National teams of Pakistan play and participate different events of sports around the globe. Although hockey is the national sport of Pakistan and cricket is by far the most popular one; there are a number of sports in which Pakistan has achieved most success. They are very popular in country. Here is the introduction of some of those games.

Polo

Polo is arguably the oldest recorded team sport in known history, with the first matches being played in Persia over 2500 years ago. This game was adopted as the most noble of pastimes by the Kings and Emperors, Shahs and Sultans, Khans and Caliphs of the ancient Persians, Arabs, Mughals, Mongols and Chinese. It was for this reason it became known across the lands as "the game of kings".

Pakistan is the only country in the world, with the highest Polo Ground at Shandur, Chitral. Polo is a team sport played outdoors on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a white wooden or plastic ball into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet. Goals are only valid if the scoring rider is mounted. The traditional sport of polo is played outdoors, and each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts.

Squash

Pakistan has achieved most success is squash. Pakistan dominated squash like no other country in the world, the domination lasting for the best part of 5 decades. Pakistan amassed over 30 British Open titles, 14 World Open titles and a lot more PSA professional titles.

The interesting thing is that a family in Pakistan and from my home town ruled the games of Squash for more than 40 years. The names of such great maestros as Hashim Khan who is the reall hero of squash around the globe, his brother Azam Khan, cousin Roshan Khan, son Sharif Khan, nephew Mohibullah, Qamar Zaman, Jahangir Khan (son of Roshan Khan) and Jansher Khan, have adorned the Squash firmament during the last forty-odd years. This galaxy has kept the squash horizon alight with their achievements over the years.

Kabaddi

Kabaddi is an indigenous sport, which is played in all parts of Pakistan, especially rural areas it is one of the most attractive games for the people of all ages. It is also widespread sport of the Sub-Continent and in many parts of India and Bangladesh, Kabaddi is played with equal zeal and enthusiasm. Its forms and styles vary from region to region. Asian-style Kabaddi has been recognized by the South-East Asian countries.

Kabaddi is a team game. Two teams, each having 7 in court players, compete with each other to get higher scores.  The raider starts from the centerline uttering aloud, “Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi…” without any break. He has to run from one side to the other side of the opponent’s court trying to touch either with his hand or leg an opponent. The opponents on the other hand try to catch him before he gets back to the center line and thence to his court. If the raider is caught and loses his chanting breath “…Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Ka…” he is considered out. The team with maximum points is declares the winner.

Snooker 

Snooker is a cue sports that is typically played on a table covered with a green cloth or baize , with pockets  situated in each of the four corners and a further two, commonly referred to as the middle, or side pockets. It is played using a cue and 22 snooker balls, one white cue ball, 15 red balls worth one point each, and six balls of different colors: yellow (2 points), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6) and black (7). A player (or team) wins a frame (individual game) of snooker by scoring more points than the opponent(s), using the cue ball to pot the red and colored balls. A player receives additional points if the opponent commits a foul or fails to escape from snooker. A player wins a match when a certain number of frames have been won.

Snooker is the most played game in Pakistan; practically every street in even the remotest of areas has a club. It is one of the cheapest games, and every one can play and fulfill their thirst of playing snooker. This is the best game which be played alone. Technically there is a lot of joy in it; you have to beat your opponent by yourself whereas in cricket and hockey you have to rely on your teammates. Pakistan has recently defeated Iran in the World Amateur Snooker Championship. Before that Pakistan has won the world Amateur Snooker Championship two times, which has brought attention of the youth towards this game. Despite facing many issues hampering the true potential of the game, Pakistan is continuously striving to move forward by participating in international tournaments as well as hosting tournaments at home.  

It is a bad news for the snooker lovers that it has been dropped from the Incheon International games 2014 due to financial constraints.