ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s sports landscape in 2025 concluded a year of remarkable achievements, international recognition, and renewed confidence.
Across disciplines, Pakistani athletes and federations delivered strong performances, bringing the country back into the global sporting spotlight.
Cricket dominance
Pakistan enjoyed a highly successful year in cricket, underlined by major tournament victories at senior and youth levels. The national Emerging team lifted the Emerging Asia Cup, showcasing the depth of Pakistan’s talent pipeline and reinforcing its reputation as a breeding ground for elite cricketers.
At the junior level, Pakistan captured the U19 Asia Cup, with consistent performances highlighting the strength of the country’s youth development system and providing optimism for the future of Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan also claimed the Hong Kong Super Sixes title, defeating Kuwait in the final, earning praise from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and underlining Pakistan’s adaptability in fast-paced formats.
Pakistan marked a major breakthrough by hosting the ICC Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9 — its first global cricket event since 1996.
Matches were staged in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai, drawing widespread praise for organization and security, even though the national team failed to meet expectations on the field.
Milestones in tennis
The country also hosted the ATP Challenger Cup for the first time from November 24 to 30 in Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Muzammil Murtaza reached the final but lost a closely fought contest to the Czech-Kazakh pair of Dominik Palan and Denis Yevseyev.
Pakistan’s growing strength in tennis was evident with the hosting of two legs of the ITF Junior Tennis Championship J-60 in Islamabad.
Abubakar Talha and Hamza Roman captured the doubles title in the second leg, while Bilal Asim and Ahmad Nael Qureshi had earlier won a J-60 title in Riyadh.
The events, featuring players from over a dozen countries, underlined Pakistan’s expanding role in junior tennis development.
Resurgence in international football
International football returned to Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium as Pakistan hosted Afghanistan and Syria in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
The national side held Afghanistan to a 1-1 draw before suffering a 5-0 defeat against Syria — another step forward in reviving international football on home soil.
Dominance in cue sports
Pakistan enjoyed a stellar year in snooker, winning the IBSF Snooker World Cup Team Championship and claiming titles at the IBSF World Masters and the World U19 Snooker Championship in Bahrain, further cementing its status as a global force in cue sports.
Arshad Nadeem and athletics glory
Olympian Arshad Nadeem reaffirmed his elite status by successfully defending his gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games, continuing Pakistan’s strong presence in international athletics.
Martial arts and combat sports
Pakistan’s martial artists delivered an impressive performance at the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025, winning six medals.
Bano Kousar claimed gold in the women’s 48kg contact category, while Muhammad Yousuf and Umer Yaseen secured silver medals in the Under-21 Duo and Show Men categories.
Women athletes shine across disciplines
Pakistan’s women continued to break barriers in 2025. The women’s baseball team made history by winning a bronze medal at the Women’s Asia Cup Qualifier, defeating hosts Thailand and earning qualification for the Asian Women’s Baseball Championship.
The year concluded on a high note when Inspector Iram Khanum of Rawalpindi Police won two gold medals at the World Powerlifting Championship in Sri Lanka, claiming titles in both powerlifting and deadlift events and inspiring women athletes nationwide.
A year of momentum and confidence
Overall, 2025 proved to be a year of growth, achievement, and renewed belief for Pakistan’s sports sector.
Successful hosting of international events, landmark performances by athletes, and steady progress across disciplines have laid a strong foundation for the years ahead.
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