ISLAMABAD: From cricket to field hockey and even track and field competitions, Pakistan’s sports journey was rife with several highs and lows throughout 2024 that left fans jumping with joy or extremely dejected and heartbroken.
As 2024 draws to a close, here is a snapshot of how Pakistani sports fared throughout the year in cricket, field hockey, mixed martial arts, and track and field competitions.
ARSHAD NADEEM’S OLYMPIC HEROICS
Pakistan’s biggest sporting triumph this year was Arshad Nadeem. The star javelin thrower shocked the world in August when he threw the javelin at a record-breaking 92.97 meters, earning his country its first Olympic gold medal in javelin.
Nadeem became a household name overnight, earning cash prizes and awards from government officials for his notable achievement.
Gold medallist Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem celebrates on the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's javelin throw athletics event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 9, 2024. (AFP/File)
NOOH DASTGIR LIFTS COMMONWEALTH GOLD
Pakistani weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt grabbed gold for Pakistan at the prestigious Commonwealth Games in South Africa in October. He lifted a staggering 370 kilograms in his first powerlifting competition at Sun City, becoming Pakistan’s first powerlifting gold medalist.
Butt has already received the Pride of Performance Award in Pakistan for his athletic heroics.
SHEHROZE KASHIF SHATTERS MOUNTAINEERING RECORDS
Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif made history by becoming the youngest high-altitude climber from Pakistan to summit all 14 of the world’s tallest peaks this year. He was able to achieve the feat after his successful ascent of the Shishapangma mountain in Tibet.
These 14 peaks, known as the “eight-thousanders,” are each over 8,000 meters high and represent the ultimate challenge in mountaineering. At just 22 years old, Kashif’s remarkable journey in climbing began when he was only 11 years old.
HAIDER ALI WINS BRONZE AT PARIS PARALYMPICS
Pakistan’s Haider Ali made his country proud in September when he bagged the bronze medal in the Men’s Discus competition at the Paralympic Games 2024 in Paris. This was Ali’s fourth paralympic medal for Pakistan, which he achieved with a stellar 52.54-meter throw throw.
The 39-year-old has a total of two bronze medals, one silver and one gold at the Paralympics. His medals are the only ones that Pakistan have bagged at the competition.
SOHAIL SISTERS BAG FOUR GOLD MEDALS
Two Pakistani female weightlifters, Cybil and Veronica Sohail, who also happen to be sisters, bagged four gold medals during a sports championship in South Africa in August.
The Sohails competed in the 52- and 57-kilogram categories, winning four gold medals each in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total categories.
This photo, shared by Twinkle Sohail, shows Pakistani female weightlifters Twinkle Sohail (right), Cybil Sohail (center) and Veronica Sohail (left) at the Lahore airport as they leave for South Africa to compete at the Asian/African/Pacific Powerlifting Championship. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/TwinkleSohail)
SHAHZAIB RIND MAKES IT BIG IN KARATE
Pakistan’s Shahzaib Rind brought laurels to the country when he won the World Karate Combat Light Heavyweight Championship in September, defeating Brazil’s Luiz Victor Rocha in the final held in Singapore.
The World Karate Combat is a global professional martial arts league featuring fighters from various weight classes and countries. Rind, from Balochistan, triumphed in the Light Heavyweight division, which includes fighters weighing between 175 and 205 pounds (79 to 93 kg).
The picture posted on April 13, 2023, shows Pakistani ‘Karate Kid’ Shahzaib Rind holding Pakistani flag after winning a fight in US. (Shahzaib Rind)
PAKISTAN’S MMA STAR ANITA KARIM BEATS ITALIAN OPPONENT
Anita Karim, Pakistan’s first-ever female Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, secured a victory over Italy’s Adriana Fusini in January 2024 in Thailand, making her country proud with a stellar performance.
Hailing from Hunza Valley, Karim has previously earned numerous accolades at both local and international levels.
Competing in the ‘Women’s Atomweight’ category, the match lasted just one round, with Karim defeating Fusini in 2 minutes and 20 seconds by forcing a submission with a keylock.
Pakistan's Anita Karim takes a bow after winning a fight against Italian newcomer Adriana Fusini at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Jan. 26, 2024. (Anita Karim)
BISMAH MAROOF CALLS IT A DAY
Former Pakistan women’s captain Bismah Maroof announced she was retiring from international cricket in April this year.
Maroof is the only Pakistani woman batter to score over 3,000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 2,500 runs in T20 Internationals (T20Is). She holds the record for the most runs in both formats, cementing her status as one of the finest batters Pakistan has ever seen in women’s cricket.
She featured in 276 international matches throughout her 18-year career for Pakistan.
The picture uploaded by Pakistan Cricket Board on November 13, 2019 shows former Pakistan women’s captain Bismah Maroof playing a shot in a match against Bangladesh. (Pakistan Cricket Board)
PAKISTAN’S FIELD HOCKEY RESURGENCE
The Pakistan hockey team displayed a remarkable performance at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia this year, making it to the final for the first time in 13 years. In the final, Pakistan faced Japan and after a 2-2 draw at full time, Japan won 4-1 in a penalty shootout, claiming the title.
PAKISTAN LIFT BLIND T20 WORLD CUP TROPHY
Pakistan won the Blind T20 World Cup in December after defeating Bangladesh by 10 wickets in a victory that coincided with the annual International Day Of Persons With Disabilities.
This was the first time Pakistan won the Blind T20 World Cup since the inception of the tournament in 2012, with India winning the previous three editions.
The hosts lifted the cup after taking part in a tournament where India did not feature due to its political tensions with Pakistan.
MOHAMMAD ASIF WINS WORLD SNOOKER TITLE
Veteran Pakistani cueist Mohammad Asif won his third IBSF World Snooker Championship title in November, equaling India’s Pankaj Advani’s record of three individual world titles. Pakistan’s other pool players achieve remarkable results as well, with Awais Munir claiming the Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship and rising star Mohammad Hasnain defeating Ahsan Ramzan to win the Asian U21 Snooker Championship this year.
The picture posted by Radio Pakistan on November 6, 2024 shows Muhammad Asif posing for a pictue after winning his third IBSF World Snooker Championship title in Qatar. (Radio Pakistan
CRICKET HEARTBREAKS
Pakistan cricket was rife with bad news for enthusiastic fans throughout the year. The ICC T20 World Cup in June was disappointing for the green shirts, who crashed out of the tournament in the first round after a shock defeat at the hands of minnows USA and arch-rivals India.
To add insult to injury, Pakistan succumbed to its first Test series defeat against Bangladesh at home 2-0 in September.
However, the men’s squad turned their fortunes around by beating England 2-1 at home in a Test series before beating Australia in an ODI away series 2-1 for the first time in 22 years. Pakistan also became the first side to whitewash South Africa 3-0 in an away ODI series in December.
Pakistan's Haris Rauf (C) reacts to a run during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2024 group A cricket match between Pakistan and Canada at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York on June 11, 2024. (AFP/File)
PAKISTAN FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
The year 2024 was another challenging one for Pakistani football, with the men’s national team failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, the national team reached a historic milestone by advancing to the second round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualification for the 2026 World Cup this year. This success was especially notable because Pakistan secured their place in the second round after a historic 1-0 aggregate victory over Cambodia in the first round.
The picture posted on June 5, 2024 on Pakistan Football Federation's Instagram account shows group picture of Pakistan's men football team ahead of their match against Saudi Arabia. (Pakistan Football Federation)
