Nadeem Arshad gets Pakistan's third bronze in mens javelin throw

[krash]

When Pakistan can produce world's fastest bowlers why not athletes?
Simply lack of mechanisms and infrastructures.

It's due to decades long decay of all systems, including sports, caused by massive corruption, neglect, nepotism, cronyism and incompetence.

People in India probably don't know this but Pakistan's most successful sport is not cricket at all. Pakistan's most successful sport is Squash where Pakistanis, in every sense of the word, ruled the world of Squash for 50 years straight. That's half a century. During that era the world no.1 spot was always held by a Pakistani and he was only dethroned by another Pakistani. The most successful career in any sport is that of Jahangir Khan who went unbeaten, I repeat unbeaten, for 5 years. That's 555 matches! That's the longest winning streak by a professional athlete in any sport. He won the World Open (World Cup of Squash) 6 times (Then record) and the British Open (Wimbledon of Squash) 10 times, which is a record even today. He was also awarded the Sportsman Of The Millennium by some prominent sports body (Can't remember which). And then when he lost, who did he lose to? Jansher Khan. Another Squash legend from Pakistan who went on to create the current world record of the most World Open wins at 8. But when an injury shortened his career the system had disintegrated so much that there wasn't anyone 1/10th as good to carry the torch.

The exact same thing happened to Pakistan's second most successful sport; Hockey. We still hold the record for the most World Cup wins but with the way things are going that record is bound to be snatched away.

All our sports came crashing down after the mid 90s and it was no coincidence. Not at all saying that Pakistan had world class systems in place for our sportsmen prior to the mid 90s, all those sportsmen achieved what they achieved through sheer talent. But today the situation is such that the world class talent that still exists in Pakistan is systematically stomped out.

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@krash

People in India probably don't know this but Pakistan's most successful sport is not cricket at all. Pakistan's most successful sport is Squash

True about today's Indians. But those of us who grew up in the 1980s and a little before do know all about the exploits of Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and their likes. Where have their likes disappeared?

It may also come as a surprise but many of my friends and I cheered for the Pak hockey team in the 1982 WC final and 1984 Olympics final (against Germany) (and later against against ENG in 1992 WC cricket final)

Regards

 

[krash]

@krash

People in India probably don't know this but Pakistan's most successful sport is not cricket at all. Pakistan's most successful sport is Squash

True about today's Indians. But those of us who grew up in the 1980s and a little before do know all about the exploits of Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and their likes. Where have their likes disappeared?

It may also come as a surprise but many of my friends and I cheered for the Pak hockey team in the 1982 WC final and 1984 Olympics final (against Germany) (and later against against ENG in 1992 WC cricket final)

Regards

Thanks for the support, sir!


I've got two short stories from squash.

1) My actual uncle was placed as the head of the Squash governing body of all Pakistan. This was done to sideline his career in the PAF by his superior. How did his superior in the air force had such say in a sports body? We have Musharraf to thank for that. At the time he was a Group Cpt who had never played a match of squash, and he never did. According to him he was only good for handing out the trophies. Then there are others, just as unqualified, who are appointed to such bodies for completely different reasons.

2) Carla Khan, the grand daughter of the great Azam Khan, was born and lives in London. When she began her career she contacted the Pakistani Squash Federation telling them that she desired to move to and represent Pakistan. For this to happen she requested basic facilities and support from the federation. She was denied.

and one from hockey,

1) There's a school near where I live. The Pakistani International Hockey team is made to have their camp there in the summers. They are kept in the student dorms and in 2010 were being given Rs.100 for all of their daily needs, meals included. Just to give you an idea, our maid made many times more.

And to top it all off, the average Pakistani now doesn't care about any sport except for cricket. The sport which has given Pakistan the least.

The likes of Jahangir and Jansher are stomped into the ground every day in Pakistan.

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@krash

krash sb,

Thanks for those anecdotes. An Indo-Pak forum is usually littered with abuses (from both sides) but it is these personal vignettes which make such fora such an enriching experience in face of provocations. Keep sharing, sir!

Regards

 

[krash]

@krash

krash sb,

Thanks for those anecdotes. An Indo-Pak forum is usually littered with abuses (from both sides) but it is these personal vignettes which make such fora such an enriching experience in face of provocations.

Childish posters with too much time on their hands. Won't deny that I've been sucked in a few times myself as well. Best to ignore them.

Keep sharing, sir!

Regards

Sir, I haven't yet earned the right to be called sir by anyone. Need a few more years for that.

 

[Hey I'll love you]

That is the hardest to achieve result in.. Personally I think you guys should first invest in community sports like wrestling and Kabaddi which are traditionally played in Pakistan so there is a certain base population to select gifted players from.. Then target sports like hockey and squash as they already have enough infrastructure to atleast start some ground level training from under 10 level age groups.. I personally want india to invest more in water sports and gymnastics and they have many medals and a certain gifted individual can get most of them.. That's the reason why phelps has most medals as he can compete in butterfly, freestly and other styles individual as well as in team events like relays. Gymnastics has many medals too.

In most of india cricket is most favourite, other games are mostly dominated by north-east in world lavel