Bull racing, Pakistan style
In a sun-scorched field of rural Punjab, hundreds of spectators cheer as racing bulls whip up a storm of dust
Bulls are fastened together by thick wooden frames in a sun-scorched field of rural Pakistan, while behind them, holding on to nothing more than ropes and his honour, is a man on a plank.
Hundreds of spectators cheer as the animals begin to hurtle down a track, whipping up a storm of dust and imminent danger. This is bull racing, Punjabi style.
The sport captures the raw energy of village life and is a world away from the cricket and hockey stadiums found in cities.
Bull racing has deep roots in Attock, eastern Punjab province, and is part of the region's living heritage.
'This isn't just entertainment, it's tradition,' Sardar Haseeb, whose family has been holding races for generations, told AP. 'We take pride in our animals. Farmers and landowners raise their bulls year round just for this moment. People are willing to pay high prices for a winning bull. It becomes a symbol of pride.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Shahid Afridi breaks silence over Dubai event row, calls outrage 'uncalled for'
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has spoken out for the first time since a recent event in Dubai triggered backlash in India. He said he was surprised by the outrage and reiterated his long-held belief that sports should rise above politics. In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, the flamboyant all-rounder, nicknamed Boom Boom for his explosive batting, dismissed the criticism as 'uncalled for' 'Let's not politicise things,' Afridi said. 'It wasn't even a planned appearance.' The controversy erupted after Afridi and his former teammate Umar Gul were seen receiving a warm welcome by Keralites at an inter-collegiate dance event held at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) building on May 25. The event, reportedly hosted by the alumni association of India's Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUBAA), coincided with Afridi's visit to PAD to celebrate a Guinness World Record for the most contributions to a handprint painting. Afridi, who also runs a fitness centre at the PAD facility, said some Indians spotted him and Umar Gul at the venue and invited them in. 'They were just excited to see us. We were happy to meet them and share a few light moments. That's all it was,' he said. Footage from the event showing Afridi being cheered by a largely Indian crowd quickly spread on social media, fueling criticism from certain groups in India amid ongoing tensions between the two nations. Afridi, however, urged calm. 'This kind of reaction is uncalled for. I've always supported sports diplomacy,' he said. 'Cricket has the power to bring people and countries closer. That's something I've believed in throughout my career.' He recalled with fondness his cricket tours to India, calling them some of the most memorable experiences of his life. 'To be honest, the respect I received in India as a cricketer and as a captain of Pakistan was overwhelming. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the love I got there, I didn't get anywhere else, not even in Pakistan,' Afridi said. Afridi stressed the importance of dialogue and people-to-people connections in resolving issues between India and Pakistan. 'If our politicians won't talk and we don't play each other, how will we ever solve anything?' he asked. Afridi said he often interacts with members of the Asian community and enjoys those conversations. 'I meet so many Indians wherever I go. We chat, we joke, we share cricket memories. There's mutual respect. It's always a pleasure.'
Dubai Eye
2 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Kohli closer to maiden IPL title as Bengaluru storm into final
Virat Kohli inched closer to a maiden Indian Premier League title after Royal Challengers Bengaluru thrashed Punjab Kings by eight wickets in a lopsided qualifier to reach the final of the 10-team tournament on Thursday. A superlative performance by their bowlers left Bengaluru needing only 102 to make Sunday's final and they reached the target in just 10 overs with opener Phil Salt, who made 56 not out, leading the charge. Punjab can still make the final if they can win the second qualifier against the winner of Friday's eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. Kohli made 12 but has been Bengaluru's leading scorer this season. The former India captain has been with the franchise since the inaugural 2008 edition of the league. Bengaluru reached the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 but were beaten on all three occasions. "It's a great feeling right now," Salt said. "Obviously we had a second bite at the cherry but it's such a good feeling to get that out of the way first time. "It just gives us that momentum. It's such a cliche but it's so true at the back end of the tournament." Bengaluru have looked formidable this season and electing to field, their fiery pace attack, led by a returning Josh Hazlewood, bundled out Punjab in 14.1 overs. Having recovered from a shoulder niggle, Hazlewood led Bengaluru's superb pace display as they reduced Punjab to 71-7 at the halfway stage of their innings. Hazlewood's (3-21) victims included rival skipper Shreyas Iyer, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed the important wicket of Prabhsimran Singh, Punjab's leading scorer this season. Marcus Stoinis made 26 before losing his stumps to leg-spinner Suyash Sharma, who claimed 3-17 in his three overs. Kyle Jamieson removed Kohli in the fourth over but Bengaluru raced to 61-1 in their six powerplay overs, compared to Punjab's 48-4, with Salt hitting boundaries almost at will. Salt took 23 balls to bring up his fifty and skipper Rajat Patidar hit a six to seal Bengaluru's victory in a match that lasted only 24.1 overs.
Dubai Eye
2 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Hazlewood's return fuels Bengaluru's IPL title dream
Questions about Josh Hazlewood's fitness were posed repeatedly at Royal Challengers Bengaluru's press conferences ahead of their Indian Premier League playoff and the Australian showed on Thursday why there was so much interest in his availability. Returning to action after spending a month on the sidelines recovering from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood helped put Bengaluru on the cusp of a first IPL title with figures of 3-21 against Punjab Kings. Three-times runners-up Bengaluru bundled out Punjab for 101 and then chased down the target in 10 overs to book their place in Tuesday's final. On a pitch that offered swing and bounce, Hazlewood took the key wickets of fellow Australian Josh Inglis and rival captain Shreyas Iyer, blows which Punjab never really recovered from. "The bowling unit was obviously back to the unit that bowled for most of the tournament, and again, we knew our roles really well," Hazlewood told reporters after their eight-wicket win. "There was a little bit of seam movement, the bounce was probably a little bit inconsistent, so we sort of utilised that as best as we could." Hazlewood's 21 wickets from 11 games make him the third highest wicket-taker this season behind Noor Ahmed (24) and Prasidh Krishna (23), both of whom have played three games more than the Australian. On Mullanpur's spicy wicket, a target of around 150 could have proved tricky, said Hazlewood. "They probably just had to pull back a little bit and try and get a score on the board, you know, 150-160 would have been a difficult chase potentially," he added. "But I think we only let them bat as well as they could have, through our bowling." The lively wicket also meant Hazlewood did not have to push his body to the limit on his return from injury. "The wicket helped obviously, I didn't have to bowl any fast yorkers or anything like that, so yeah, it's feeling not too bad."
