Five times Pakistan’s sports made waves in 2024

By Ahmad Afzal Khan

Records were set in 2024, whether it be Arshad Nadeem ending Pakistan’s Olympic drought, or Naila Kiani continuing to reach the highest of highs. The year, like previously had many lows but Pakistan got a little lucky with the sport the nation worships: men’s cricket. So with a fair share of triumph in cricket this year, Pakistan was able to perform well with the red-ball, white-ball, and in the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup.

5. PAKISTAN END TEST RUT

After a series of dismal test performances, the Pakistan team finally won a series this year. Skipper Shan Masood lost six games, including three match whitewash to Australia, a two-match whitewash to Bangladesh, and the first of a three-match series against England. However, after the historic loss to England in the first test, in which they became the first team in history to lose by an innings despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings, the men in green would go on to win the series.

Debutant Kamran Ghulam and youngster Saim Ayub would lead the charge on the batting side in the second test, bringing Pakistan to a score of 366.

Then, taking advantage of the dried-out Rawalpindi pitch, made possible with industrial fans and heaters, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali would eviscerate England in their first innings, taking seven and three wickets respectively.

Pakistan would then make another 221 runs, before Noman took another eight wickets, and Sajid another two, to end the match, and break Pakistan’s winless streak.

The Shaheens would go on to win the series in the next match, as Sajid and Noman continued to dominant, taking ten and nine wickets respectively, while Saud Shakeel shined with the bat. Pakistan would reach England’s final total in only 3.1 overs in their second innings, as Masood hit a flurry of boundaries, including four fours in a row, and a six to end the match.

4. SOUTH AFRICA SUFFER FIRST EVER WHITEWASH AT HOME TO PAKISTAN

Breaking their test losing streak was a huge feat for Shan Masood and the red ball side, marking an end to their tumultuous stretch. However, while the test squad were becoming acclimatised to winning, the ODI squad continued to thrive, as white ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan led the Shaheens to an even greater accomplishment months later.

After beating Australia and Zimbabwe in ODI’s, Pakistan would tour South Africa. The three match series would be the epitome of the heights Pakistani cricket can reach.

Saim Ayub had only played six ODIs before starting the series, and by the time it ended, he had made two more centuries.

Salman Agha would equally dominate on Paarl’s pitch, taking four wickets before scoring 82 runs.

The second contest would feature Pakistan’s old guard put on a show for the younger players, as Rizwan and Babar Azam scored a combined 153 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi would then dismiss four batsmen in a late spell to dismantle the Proteas. A few days later, Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Muqeem would bring the series to a close, completing the sweep. Pakistan became the first team in history to whitewash South Africa at home.

3. PAKISTAN DOMINATE T20 BLIND CRICKET WORLD CUP

The Pakistan blind cricket team were perfect in this year’s T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, winning all seven of their matches. While Pakistan had won the Blind World Cup twice, in 2002 and 2006, the men in green had never tasted gold in the T20 format. The three previous iterations of the tournament had all been won by India. However, in 2024, after the Indian team was unable to travel for the tournament, Pakistan would obliterate their competition.

In four of their seven matches, Pakistan would win within ten overs of their innings.

Their most impressive performance came in the semi-finals against Nepal, where after Mati Ullah took three wickets, Kamran Akhtar and Babar Ali would combine for 95 runs to win the contest within six overs, propelling Pakistan to the finals.

But before facing Bangladesh in the finals, Pakistan’s players would demonstrate their talent.

On the batting side Naimat Ullah shined, scoring 244 runs across the tournament, the most of any Pakistani player and the third most in the tournament. He made three half centuries, with his best performance coming against Nepal, when he scored 73 runs. But in the final, it would be M Safdar and Nisar Ali, who would combine for 119 runs, leading Pakistan to their first ever T20 Blind Cricket World Cup trophy.

2. ARSHAD NADEEM ENDS PAKISTAN’S OLYMPIC DROUGHT

Arshad Nadeem became a household name after the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old broke the 90.57 metres Olympic javelin throw record that was set by Andreas Thorkildsen in 2008. Nadeem launched an incredible throw that reached 92.97 metres. His last throw of the event fell below the record he set, but was still over Thorkildsen’s throw in Beijing.

What makes Nadeem’s performance so special isn’t simply the fact that it was Pakistan’s first Olympic gold in 40 years. Rather, it was his incredible journey that made his accomplishment so stellar. Despite lacking access to equipment and facilities, Nadeem trained with eucalyptus branches with iron tips, in his village’s wheat fields. He continued to train with subpar equipment months before the Olympics, but that didnt stop him from outclassing the competition.

Nadeem’s first legal throw of 92.97 metres would shock the world, setting an Olympic and Asian record.

India’s Neeraj Chopra, the defending champion would try his best to overcome the gargantuan effort from Nadeem. But, his one legal throw out of five would land at the 89.45 metre mark, which placed him at second. After Chopra’s last attempt, Nadeem had already won the gold, but that didn’t stop him from showing off with another monster throw, which landed at the 91.79 metre mark.

Nadeem’s performance not only won Pakistan their first gold in 40 years, but also the first gold in an individual sport and their first ever in athletics at the Summer Games.

1. NAILA KIANI CONTINUES TO TRAILBLAZE AND INSPIRE

A three-year journey culminated in Naila Kiani breaking records in 2024. In 2023, she became the tenth person in history to climb seven of the world’s highest peaks, all above 8000 metres in less than six months.

And in 2024 she became the fastest Pakistani to summit eleven of the worlds 14 highest peaks, completing the feat in under three years.

Nepal’s Malalu Peak was the last mountain on the list. Standing at 8455 metres tall, it was no match for Kiani, who became the first Pakistani woman to summit the behemoth. Even before becoming the fastest to conquer 11 peaks over 8000 metres, Kiani was a trailblazer, with a career full of firsts. She is the first Pakistani mountaineer to climb Mount Everest and Lhotse back to back, and the first to summit K2 and Gasherbum 1 back to back. She is the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Lhotse and the fastest to scale six 8000-metre peaks.

But what’s most impressive about Kiani is all the other things she is beyond one of the worlds greatest mountaneers. She is a mother of two. She is an amateur boxer. She is an aerospace engineer. She is the first and only female athlete to receive Pakistan’s highest civilian honor, the Sitara-e-Imtiaz.

And most importantly, she is someone who is inspiring the next generation and giving back to her community.

Not only does her achievements inspire women across the country to strive for accomplishments and success in male dominated sports, but she champions the cause of girl’s education, and has been made a National Goodwill Ambassador.