A sight to remember as first ever cricket match kicked off at Gwadar’s ‘world’s most beautiful’ cricket stadium on Friday (today) – the match is being dedicated to Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara.
The exhibition match is being played between two teams namely Showbiz Sharks and Gwadar Dolphins which is being led by PCB CEO Waseem Khan and SAPM Zulfi Bukhari respectively.
Showbiz Sharks team members include Fakhr-e-Alam, Faysal Qureishi, Ali Zafar, Saleem Sheikh, Aijaz Aslam, Shezad Roy, Sami Khan, Kamran Jeelani, Salman Saeed, Ali Safina and Noman Habi; whereas the Dolphins comprise of Ali Zaidi and other local players.
https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan/status/1362695165396332546
Ye hum hain
Ye humara toss hai
Aur yahan cricket ho rahi hai 🏏SAPM @sayedzbukhari wins the toss @CTurnerFCDO @TheRealPCB @falamb3 @AliZafarsays #CricketAtGwadar pic.twitter.com/AoKymgHc4E
— Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD (@mophrd) February 19, 2021
British Commissioner to Pakistan – Christian Turner officiated the coin toss of the first ever exhibition match at Gwadar cricket stadium.
An honour to preside over coin toss at inaugural #CricketAtGwadar match at beautiful Gwadar stadium. @sayedzbukhari Gwadar Dolphins choses to bowl against Showbiz Sharks. pic.twitter.com/NBpfNPpYPc
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) February 19, 2021
An honor to preside over coin toss at inaugural match at beautiful Gwadar stadium, he tweeted.
Ziyadah khubsurat cricket ground pura dunya min hein ?#CricketAtGwadar cc @TheRealPCB @sayedzbukhari pic.twitter.com/rzqESTfqjX
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) February 19, 2021
Gwadar cricket stadium gained world’s attention after International Cricket Council (ICC) tweeted snaps of the picturesque cricket stadium in the port city of Gwadar with the caption ‘show us a more picturesque sports venue’.
Remembering Ali Sadpara
The exhibition match at Gwadar cricket stadium has been dedicated to Ali Sadpara ‘The Snow Leopard’ – a Pakistani mountaineer who was declared dead by his family and GB government as he was missing since February 5th while on a K2 summit expedition.
Sadpara was accompanied by two other climbers namely John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Chilean mountaineer Juan Pablo Mohr Prietoon.
Born in Skardu, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, commonly known as ‘Ali Sadpara’ was a Pakistani mountaineer who started his career as a high altitude porter assisting in mountain climbing expeditions.
Tum chalay aao, paharon ki qasam pic.twitter.com/j4fAqry5E3
— nma (@namaloomafraaad) February 7, 2021
He traversed the notorious traversed Baltoro Glacier in sub-standard and make-shift gear. However, his love for the mountains and the sport of mountaineering led him to become a successful and acclaimed mountaineer.
Sadpara and his team were the first one to successfully climb Nanga Parbat in summer back in 2016 – a peak successfully climber quadruple times by the Pakistani mountaineer.
Sadpara’s unmatched skill as a mountaineer is reflected by the fact that he has successfully climbed eight of the total 14 ‘Eight-thousanders’ i.e. 14 mountains that are more than 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) in height above sea level