This book seeks to provide unique insights into the social, cultural, and political changes that Pakistan has experienced since its birth in 1947. These changes are examined through an analysis of Pakistan cricket and its changing contours with the premise that Pakistan cricket (including the cricketers, administrators, fans, and the nature of Pakistan cricket) is a reflection of society itself and that issues such as match-fixing, religiosity, and cricketing innovation are indicative of wider societal trends in politics, religion, and corruption. Simultaneously, cricket has also affected politics, economics, and society in Pakistan. The book examines how profoundly cricket in Pakistan influences culture, politics, and society and how it is in turn influenced by the wider social and political context within which it is embedded. An analysis of cricket, therefore, allows a unique insight into wider societal trends in politics and international relations, race, religion, corruption, cultural change, and globalization.

Essay from the year 2021 in the subject Health - Sport - Miscellaneous, Lille Catholic University, course: Sport and Politics, language: English, abstract: This essay will employ the discipline of cricket in Pakistan as a lens of analysis to better understand the one-to-one correlation between sport and national identity. In the post-colonial scheme, the sentiment of nationalism has been strongly enhanced and influenced by the rehabilitation of the country’s sovereignty. Pakistan has historically been subject to intense vectors such as nationalism, imperialism, colonialism, decolonization etc. which has been reflected in the game of cricket. Benedict Anderson’s conception of the nation relies on its imaginary character. A nation is imagined because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion. In the light of that statement, a nation is manufactured by cultural, political, and psychological factors in which the role of language as well as discourse has a predominant impact on its construction. Indeed, Wodak, De Cillia, Reisigl and Liebhart shine a spotlight on the fact that uniqueness and distinctness of a community and its values are influenced by discourse. Since language and discourse appear as a key instrument in the social construction of an imagined community that one creates, new narratives can, thus, modify citizens’ perceptions of what constitutes their feeling of their national identity. It will therefore be necessary to observe sport as a form of discourse and thus as a factor of national identification capable of counting its narrative to draw up the portrait of an answer to the following question: What role does sport play in forming and shaping national identity? Sports are linked to political socialization, formation of the political culture and development of national identity.

Pakistan is a country beset with politicised instabilities, economic problems, ethnic conflicts, religious fervour and crises of identity. It is also a country in which the game of cricket has become a nationwide obsession. How has that happened? How does a Muslim country, jealous of its independence and determined to forge a Pakistani identity, so passionately embrace the alien gentleman's game imported by the distant and departed former colonial masters? What do we learn of Pakistan from its attitudes and responses to cricket? This book sees Pakistan - its history, politics and society - through the prism of cricket. Shaharyar Khan and Ali Khan describe how cricket defines national identity and boosts morale even while Pakistan struggles to contain internal political conflict and the influence of the Taliban near and within its borders; they show how the game shapes the political, social and cultural landscape of Pakistan and its fractured relations with India. But with recent betting scandals and accusations of spot-fixing throwing Pakistani cricket into the global media spotlight, what does cricket tell us about condition of Pakistani society today? The former Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, a man with an unparalleled insight into the establishment, Shaharyar Khan examines how this very Western sport came to embed itself in the psyche of Pakistanis old and young, transcending social and class boundaries. The authors illuminate Pakistan for readers by offering an unusual and highly original perspective - that in understanding the state of cricket in Pakistan, can we gain a deeper understanding of the state of Pakistan itself. Demonstrating how the turbulence around cricket has much wider political implications, this book will fascinate general readers and cricket enthusiasts, at the same time proving essential reading for observers of Pakistan, India and the South Asia region.

THE WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR and THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR. 'The most complete, best researched, roses-and-thorns history of cricket in Pakistan' Independent 'As good as it's likely to get' Guardian The nation of Pakistan was born out of the trauma of Partition from India in 1947. Its cricket team evolved in the chaotic aftermath. Initially unrecognised, underfunded and weak, Pakistan's team grew to become a major force in world cricket. Since the early days of the Raj, cricket has been entwined with national identity and Pakistan's successes helped to define its status in the world. Defiant in defence, irresistible in attack, players such as A.H.Kardar, Fazal Mahmood, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan awed their contemporaries and inspired their successors. The story of Pakistan cricket is filled with triumph and tragedy. In recent years, it has been threatened by the same problems affecting Pakistan itself: fallout from the 'war on terror', sectarian violence, corruption, crises in health and education, and a shortage of effective leaders. For twenty years, Pakistan cricket has been stained by the scandalous behaviour of the players involved in match-fixing. After 2009, the fear of violence drove Pakistan's international cricket into exile. But Peter Oborne's narrative is also full of hope. For all its troubles, cricket gives all Pakistanis a chance to excel and express themselves, a sense of identity and a cause for pride in their country. Packed with first-hand recollections, and digging deep into political, social and cultural history, Wounded Tiger is a major study of sport and nationhood.

The nation of Pakistan was born out of the trauma of Partition from India in 1947. Its cricket team evolved in the aftermath, in chaotic and desperate circumstances. Initially dispersed, unrecognized, underfunded and weak, Pakistan 's team grew to become a major force in world cricket. Since the early days of the Raj, cricket has been entwined with national identity and Pakistan 's successes helped to define its status in the world. Defiant in defence, irresistible in attack, players such as A H Kardar, Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Majid Khan, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan awed their contemporaries and inspired their successors. The story of Pakistan cricket is filled with both triumph and tragedy. In recent years, its cricketers have been a prey to problems which have threatened Pakistan 's very existence: fallout from the "war on terror", sectarian violence, gangsterism and corruption, deep-seated crises in education, health and the environment, and a shortage of effective leaders. For twenty years, Pakistan cricket has been stained by the scandalous behaviour of the players involved in matchfixing. Since 2009, the fear of violence has driven Pakistan 's international cricket into exile. No one knows when it will return home. But Peter Oborne's narrative is also full of hope. He shows how cricket, once largely confined to the great cities of Karachi and Lahore , has won players and followers from all over the country. He tells the dramatic and heartwarming story of women's cricket in Pakistan , once in the shadows, now a force in the world. For all its troubles, cricket gives all Pakistanis a chance to excel and express themselves, a sense of identity and a cause for pride in their country. Packed with memories from former players and top administrators, and digging deep into political, social and cultural history, Wounded Tiger is a major study of sport and nationhood.

Bringing together leading international writers on cricket and society, this important new book places cricket in the postcolonial life of the major Test-playing countries. Exploring the culture, politics, governance and economics of cricket in the twenty-first century, this book dispels the age-old idea of a gentle game played on England's village greens. This is an original political and historical study of the game's development in a range of countries and covers: * cricket in the new Commonwealth: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the Caribbean and India * the cricket cultures of Australia, New Zealand and post-apartheid South Africa * cricket in England since the 1950s. This new book is ideal for students of sport, politics, history and postcolonialism as it provides stimulating and comprehensive discussions of the major issues including race, migration, gobalization, neoliberal economics, the media, religion and sectarianism.

The most famous sports book in the world, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack has been published every year since 1864. The selected writings from the 161st edition contained in this eBook offer trenchant opinion, compelling features and an authoritative voice on the worldwide game. The Shorter Wisden is a distillation of what's best in its bigger brother – and the 2024 edition of Wisden is crammed, as ever, with the best writing in the game. Wisden's digital version includes the influential Notes by the Editor, and all the front-of-book articles. In essence, The Shorter Wisden is a glass of the finest champagne rather than the whole bottle. In an age of snap judgments, Wisden's authority and integrity are more important than ever. Yet again this year's edition is truly a “must-have” for every cricket fan. @WisdenAlmanack