The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games, they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation. The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
Sport in Pakistan is a significant part of Pakistani culture. Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan, while field hockey, polo, and squash are also popular. Traditional sports like kabaddi and other well-known games are also played.
Syed Hussain Shah is a retired Pakistani boxer from Lyari, Karachi Pakistan, who won the bronze medal in the Middleweight division (71–75 kg) at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. This was the country's first ever Olympic boxing medal. He remains the only Pakistani sportsperson to win an individual medal at the Olympic Games in the last fifty-plus years. Only other Pakistani to ever win an individual Olympic medal is the wrestler Muhammad Bashir, who won a bronze medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Shahbaz Ahmad is a former field hockey player from Pakistan who is also known by his nickname as "Shahbaz Ahmed Senior". He was born in to Arain family.
The India men's national field hockey team represents India in international field hockey competitions, and is governed by Hockey India. The team was formerly under the control of Indian Hockey Federation. India was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation. In 1928, the team won its first Olympic gold medal and until 1960, the Indian men's team remained unbeaten in the Olympics, winning six gold medals in a row. The team had a 30–0 winning streak during this time, from their first game in 1928 until the 1960 gold medal final which they lost. India also won the World Cup in 1975. India's hockey team is the most successful team ever in the Olympics, having won a total of eight gold medals – in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980. India also has the best overall performance in Olympic history with 83 victories out of the 134 matches played. They have also scored more goals in the Olympics than any other team. They are also the only team ever to win the Olympics without conceding a single goal, having done so in 1928 and 1956.
The Pakistan national field hockey team represents Pakistan in international field hockey. Having played its first match in 1948, it is administered by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the governing body for hockey in Pakistan. It has been a member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 1948 and was founding member of the Asian Hockey Federation (ASHF), which was formed in 1958. Pakistan is one of the most successful national field hockey teams in the world with a record four Hockey World Cup wins.
The 1984 South Asian Games was the first edition of South Asian Games. It was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 17 to 23 September 1984.
Japan participated and hosted the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan from October 2, 1994 to October 16, 1994. This country was ranked 2nd with 64 gold medals, 75 silver medals and 79 bronze medals with a total of 218 medals to secure its second spot in the medal tally.
The team sport of Cricket became a medal sport at the 2010 Asian Games. The last time cricket featured in a major multi-sport event was at the 1998 Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The gold medal was won on that occasion by South Africa, who defeated Australia by 4 wickets in the final with New Zealand winning the bronze medal. At a general meeting of the Olympic Council of Asia, held in Kuwait on 17 April 2007, it was announced that cricket would be included as a medal sport in the 2010 Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou. Matches would be played on a Twenty20, 20-overs per side format.
The India men's national volleyball team represents India in international volleyball competitions. It is managed by the Volleyball Federation of India and is currently sponsored by Sahara India Pariwar and Asics.
The India national kabaddi team represents India in international men's kabaddi competitions. The team is by far the most successful national kabaddi side of any country, winning gold medals at the Asian Games in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014, as well as winning all three Kabaddi World Cup events to date. Pawan Sehrawat is the current captain of the team after Deepak Niwas Hooda was suffering from bad form in PKL 9.
The Pakistan national handball team is controlled by the Pakistan Handball Federation and represents Pakistan in international tournaments.
Pakistan is a member of the South Asian Zone of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), has participated in the Asian Games since their second edition in 1954. The Pakistan Olympic Association, established in 1948, and recognised in the same year by the International Olympic Committee, is the National Olympic Committee for Pakistan.
Munir Sadiq is a Pakistani former sailor, a three-time Asian Games gold medalist, winning his first at the 1978 Games in Bangkok. With a silver medal in the open enterprise class at the 1998 Asian Games, Sadiq became the first sailor to win five medals at the Asian Games. He also competed in the 470 event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Danish Atlas Khan is a Top Professional squash player from Pakistan.
Pakistan participated in the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India from 19 November to 4 December 1982. They won the gold medal in field hockey, defeating the hosts India in the final.
Pakistan participated in the 1954 Asian Games held in the city of Manila, Philippines from 1 May 1954 to 9 May 1954. Pakistan ranked 4th with 5 gold medals in this edition of the Asiad. In these games however Pakistan got 4th Position, but an athlete Abdul Khaliq dubbed as "The Fastest Man of Asia".
The Pakistan U-23 national football team is a youth football team operated under the Pakistan Football Federation. The team represents Pakistan in international youth football competitions in the Summer Olympics, AFC U-22 Asian Cup, Asian Games and the South Asian Games winning the 2004 and 2006 editions, as well as any other under-23 and under-22 international football tournaments, such as the AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
Pakistan competed at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, from 18 August to 2 September 2018. According to the secretary general of Pakistan Olympic Association, around 397 Pakistani athletes participated in the Games.
The Pakistan women's national boxing team represents Pakistan in international boxing competitions. It is administered by the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF). The team competed internationally for the first time at the South Asian Games held in Guwahati, India in 2016. It debuted at the continental level at the Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018.
