The Players that made it, but who STILL need your support!
Pakistan has many talented players – sportspeople who have achieved much in their fields, (other than the ones that are famous), like Wasim Akram, Sana Mir, Shahid Afridi etc. There’s a sporty child and adult in just about every street of Pakistan, a lot of them go on to making it to the big leagues, but are still not so recognized. Here’s a list of the most underrated sportspeople in Pakistan who deserve recognition for all they have done in the sports field to spark our interest and make Pakistan’s name shine – slow & steady!
1. Inam Butt
Inam Butt is a Pakistani wrestler from Gujranwala, who won 4 gold medals in his matches, the latest being his current win in the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019, he also won a silver and bronze medal in two other matches.
2. Imad Wasim
Imad Wasim picked up a five wicket haul in T20Is, he also picked up a five-wicket haul in ODI matches, and was announced as T20 Player of the Year by the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2017
3. Muqaddas Ashraf
Muqaddas Ashraf is a squash player who won the Sixth National Women’s Squash Championship trophy, she also won in the women’s category of the seventh DG Rangers Sindh Open Squash Championship.
4. Zahra Suleman
Zara Suleman is a 14 year old, Lahori Tennis Player who won 3 tennis championships, of which 2 were in 2019, she played in 2 other tennis championships, where she was the runner up.
5. Sarah Mahboob Khan
Sara Mahboob Khan is also a Tennis player who is the first female to earn a bronze medal in a ladies single event, she also became the youngest ever Pakistan National Champion at the age of 14, she also won the Ladies National Tennis Championship, Subh e Nau NBP title in 2019
6. Rana Azain
Rana Azain is a 15 year old swimmer and sprinter, who won a total of 8 medals. In the 4th Youth & Junior National Athletics Championship 2019, he won 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze Medal for sprinting, and won the rest of his medals swimming in different championships throughout the years.
7. Sana Mir
Sana Mir is a female cricketer who stands tall among world players! As a woman, she might not be getting the recognition that most male players receive (by default), in her chosen field – cricket! She became the first Pakistani woman to grab the first rank in ICC ODI bowler ranking. She also was the captain of her team, during that time, eight members from her team made it to the list of ICC’s top 20.
8. Ghulam Mustafa Bashir
Ghulam Mustafa Bashir is a sharp shooter who is the second Pakistani who won a quota place for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He was also the representative of Pakistan in the Olympic Games in 2016, and he won a gold medal in the 26th National Shooting Championship 2019.
9. Muhammad Hamza Anwer
Hamza Anwer is a swimmer and badminton player. He started his swimming career at just 10 years, and started playing badminton recently, and proved to be excellent at both. Among other achievements, he won 12 gold medals at LUMS Sports Fest 2019 and was titled the best player of the tournament.
10. Mirza Ali Baig
Mirza Ali is a Mountaineer who is the first Pakistani to scale seven summits in seven continents. He climbed many mountains including Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Vinson and Samina Peak. He also works towards encouraging women to participate in outdoor sports and mountaineering.
These players are fighting hard and against all odds, to achieve perfection and recognition in their chosen sports. Their passion drives them forward, and they often do not have the funds or sponsorship to keep their dreams alive. Their dreams are our dreams – because, when they make it to the top, it is the Pakistani flag that stands strong alongside them – so take a moment to appreciate their efforts and give them your support – one more fan will make all the difference!
