Pashtun passion for sports

[Forreigner]

One of the most popular sports among Pashtuns is cricket, which was introduced to South Asia during the early 18th century with the arrival of the British. Many Pashtuns have become prominent international cricketers in the Pakistan national cricket team, including Imran Khan, Shahid Afridi, Majid Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Younis Khan. The Afghanistan national cricket team, which is dominated by Pashtun players, was formed in the early 2000s. The two Indian brothers Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan have Pashtun ancestry.[106] Australian cricketer Fawad Ahmed is of Pakistani Pashtun origin who has played for the Australian national team.[107]

Football (soccer) is also one of the most popular sports among Pashtuns. The current captain of Pakistan national football team, Muhammad Essa, is an ethnic Pashtun. He previously played for the Afghan Football Club in Chaman. Another top player from the same area was Abdul Wahid Durrani, who scored 15 international goals in 13 games and became the captain of the team. The Afghanistan national football team consists of Pashtun players too, including the current captain Djelaludin Sharityar.

Other sports popular among Pashtuns may include polo, field hockey, volleyball, handball, basketball, golf, track and field, bodybuilding, weightlifting, wrestling (pehlwani), kayaking, horse racing, martial arts, boxing, skateboarding, bowling and chess.

Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan became greatest professional squash players. Although now retired, they are engaged in promoting the sport through the Pakistan Squash Federation. Maria Toorpakai Wazir is the first female Pashtun squash player. Pakistan also produced other world champions of Pashtun origin: Hashim Khan, Roshan Khan, Azam Khan, Mo Khan and Qamar Zaman.
Snooker and billiards are played by young Pashtun men, mainly in urban areas where snooker clubs are found. Several prominent international recognised snooker players are from the Pashtun area, including Saleh Mohammed. Although traditionally very less involved in sports than boys, Pashtun girls sometimes play volleyball, basketball, football, and cricket, especially in urban areas.

Makha is a traditional archery sport in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, played with a long arrow (gheshai) having a saucer shaped metallic plate at its distal end, and a long bow. In recent decades Hayatullah Khan Durrani, Pride of Performance caving legend from Quetta, has been promoting mountaineering, rock climbing and caving in Balochistan, Pakistan.

cricket is for pussies. it's a dying sport as well. Football/soccer is where the big money is at, if you dream about making serious money in sports.

[Golden]

Iv never seen someone focus on ethnicity when it comes to sports. Sports are suppose to be unifying and an escape from that shiz. Only thing that matters is City and Country.

No one cares if they are pathans in Pak, to many of them and pathans don't have minority complex in Pakistan. I would actually be more interested in list of baloch and sindhi athletes since I don't know any which mean very few if at all exist.

[Manzareh]

cricket is for pussies. it's a dying sport as well. Football/soccer is where the big money is at, if you dream about making serious money in sports.

There's more to life than money, focus on what you are good at and most importantly what you enjoy.

[Manzareh]

[Obtained from - The Pashtun Times]

Afghanistan’s only woman athlete at the Olympics is running alone but fighting for all women



At the glittering Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, did you see the flag-bearer of the Afghanistan team, the only female member of their contingent, 20-year-old Kimia Yousufi?

Yousufi, who will be competing in the track-and-field events, fled her home country Afghanistan and went to Iran when she was very young. But life in her adopted country was not easy. Yousufi did not get the chance to compete against other Iranian athletes because of restrictions on Afghan refugees.

However, when she was 17, she was discovered by the Afghan government in a competition to unearth female athletes. After training for three years, she represented Afghanistan at the 2016 South Asian Games, impressing many. The Afghan Olympic Committee did not just decide to send Yousufi to the Olympics – they also decided to make her the flag-bearer for Afghanistan at the opening ceremony.

Of course, a medal may seem unlikely. But this young athlete has a different goal. “Though my country still has many issues, I will prove to the world that we are striving,” said Yousofi.

[Manzareh]

Abdul Wahab Zahiri




Abdul Wahab Zahiri (born May 27, 1992) is a Afghan sprinter. He competed in the men's 100 metres at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he finished at 7th in his heat in the preliminary round with a time of 11.56 seconds

[Manzareh]

[Obtained from - The Pashtun Times]

Afghanistan’s only woman athlete at the Olympics is running alone but fighting for all women



At the glittering Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, did you see the flag-bearer of the Afghanistan team, the only female member of their contingent, 20-year-old Kimia Yousufi?

Yousufi, who will be competing in the track-and-field events, fled her home country Afghanistan and went to Iran when she was very young. But life in her adopted country was not easy. Yousufi did not get the chance to compete against other Iranian athletes because of restrictions on Afghan refugees.

However, when she was 17, she was discovered by the Afghan government in a competition to unearth female athletes. After training for three years, she represented Afghanistan at the 2016 South Asian Games, impressing many. The Afghan Olympic Committee did not just decide to send Yousufi to the Olympics – they also decided to make her the flag-bearer for Afghanistan at the opening ceremony.

Of course, a medal may seem unlikely. But this young athlete has a different goal. “Though my country still has many issues, I will prove to the world that we are striving,” said Yousofi.

Inshaallah these guys, although need alot more practice and training have paved the way for many more of our people to get into sports. Pioneers. Respect

[Shapur]

Ahmad Wali Hotak Undefeated Pashtun MMA Lightweight fighter

Ahmad Wali Hotak Undefeated Pashtun MMA Lightweight fighter

The Afghan Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Ahmad Wali Hotak knocked out his Russian opponent during a major fight in Moscow last night.
Hotak knocked Ivan Kozachenko during the first round of the match with back to back punches and knees by starting the fight aggressively.
He congratulated the Afghan nation following his impressive win and thanked his sensiors for their efforts to organize international matches for him.
The match was hosted by The Fight Night in Moscow, the capital city of Russia.

Afghanistan’s Ahmad Wali Hotak knocks out his Russian opponent - Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan News Agency

Ахмед Вали Хотак vs. Иван Казаченко / Akhmed Vali Xotak vs. Ivan Kazachenko - YouTube

Interview with Voice of America Pashto
MMA fighter Ahmad Wali Hotak on VOA Ashna - YouTube

[Sarbani]

cricket is for pussies. it's a dying sport as well. Football/soccer is where the big money is at, if you dream about making serious money in sports.

Its not the most athletic sport but still a good sport in its own right. I don't see how its dying at all, in fact with T20 cricket, the opposite seems to be happening. Cricketers earn more than most sports athletes except the ones that play a few sports like football and tennis. Dhoni earns more than Neymar.

[Manzareh]

hahaha no way any cricketer will ever come even close to how much Neymar gets paid.

[Sarbani]

hahaha no way any cricketer will ever come even close to how much Neymar gets paid.

Is that supposed to be an argument? "Haha no way"? Just google Dhoni net worth and Neymar net worth, then come back to me with your hahas.

[torkham]

Thanks for an interesting thread.
I would like to know more about our wrestling style.

[Elite Pakhtun]

Neymar has a higher salary though. Google Neymar salary and Dhoni salary.

I hate Barcelona btw.

[Manzareh]

Is that supposed to be an argument? "Haha no way"? Just google Dhoni net worth and Neymar net worth, then come back to me with your hahas.

Bit overly sensitive aren't you touchy like a little girl lol. Anyway just googled the salarys. Neymar earns 5 times more, then ovcourse you have messi which earns 4 times more then Neymar. So to answer your question: No there is absolutely no argument here.

[Shapur]

I think rugby would suit Pashtuns alot, it has a good mix of physical agression and strategy. The captain is Pashtun and so are many of the players from around Kabul area.

Afghan rugby team makes international debut - YouTube

Anyone know if rugby is popular among Pashtuns in Pakistan?

[Shapur]

The most famous Pashtun rugby player must be Omar Sulaimankhel who is from Afghanistan but plays in New Zealand

Omar Slaimankhel Highlights #1 - YouTube