The Top 10 Moments That Defined Pakistani Sports in 2017

Pakistan’s sporting history is full of miracles. When no one expects Pakistan to do well, they turn everything upside down and baffle you with their performance.

This year proved to be a special one for Pakistan, particularly in cricket. From the retirement of the legendary duo of Misbah and Younis to the Champions Trophy title, from individual glory to cricket coming home, Pakistan cricket has given the nation a number of reasons to cherish.

ProPakistani has compiled a list of 10 most memorable sporting happening in the year 2017.

Cricket Came Home in PSL Final – Pakistan Super League season 2 was special with regards to the revival of cricket in Pakistan. Numerous international stars landed in the country after 8 long cricket-less years in Pakistan.

First Away Series Win in WI – The last series of the iconic duo – Misbah and Younis – turned out to be an epic one, where a thriller decided the fate of the series – a series win which Pakistanis have longed for since the inception of cricket in the country.

MisYou Retirement – Having stabilized the country’s cricket after the disastrous spot-fixing scandal in 2010, both Misbah and Younis elevated above the stature of leaders to bring home the coveted ICC Test Mace for the first time ever since the inception of test rankings system. The void left by the legends’ retirements will be hard to fill.

Champions Trophy Triumph – Coming back from a thumping defeat to arch-rivals India in the opening game, Pakistan team never looked back – they defeated star-studded South Africa, they overcame Sri Lanka, they tamed the hosts England and finally crushed none other than India to claim the prestigious Champions Trophy title.

World XI, Sri Lanka Tours – Thanks to ICC’s efforts to bring back cricket in Pakistan, some big names agreed to visit the country for a three-match T20I series. Later, Sri Lankan team also landed in Lahore to play the final T20I of its recent series against Pakistan. The crowd’s passion, the hospitality of Lahoris, welcoming messages, and the thrilling encounters proved to be a great advertisement for peaceful cricket in Pakistan.

Asian Indoor Games – Pakistan bagged 21 medals in Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games 2017, including 2 gold and three silver medals.

Hassan Ali & Muhammad Hafeez Rise to No. 1 – Hasan Ali has been on fire since the start of 2017 and his aggressive bowling has helped Pakistan win multiple series, especially the Champions Trophy 2017; the impressive numbers have earned him the number 1 spot in ODI bowlers rankings. He’s also the leading wicket taker in 2017.

Likewise, Mohammad Hafeez regained his number one ranking in ODI all-rounders after making a comeback into the team as an all-rounder.

Imad Wasim Gains No. 1 Spot – The Welsh-born all-rounder has been performing brilliantly in T20s ever since his inclusion in Pakistan team. His all-round abilities have made the top the ladder in ICC T20I all-rounders rankings.

Muhammad Waseem Defends World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Flyweight Title – The Quetta-born boxer defended his WBC Silver Flyweight title successfully in addition to retaining the number one ranking in WBC rankings.

Babar Surpasses Kohli – Pakistani run-machine, Babar Azam has made everyone a fan of his classic batting and his numbers have troubled the stats gurus. He left behind the Indian captain Virat Kohli, ‘Mr. 360’ AB de Villiers and the great Michael Bevan in the list of top ODI Batting Averages.