KARACHI: It’s close to midnight but the floodlights are turned on in a Karachi town, drawing dozens of Pakistani men onto its streets for a tournament of Ramadan cricket.
Late night street cricket during the Muslim holy month is a tradition that dates back several decades, with Karachi being the hub of the lively matches.
Mohammad Bilal says night cricket helps them stay awake until Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, which helps them with the day’s fast after.
“We are free in the night and we have to keep ourselves awake till the time of Suhoor. If we sleep, we can miss the Suhoor. If we miss Suhoor, it is difficult to fast,” Bilal said on Thursday.
Working hours during Ramadan are usually shorter in Pakistan so that people have a few hours to rest before they break their fast with an evening meal, called iftar, after sunset.
The game starts after Tarawih, or late night prayers, which ends about an hour ahead of midnight.
Tennis balls taped up with white tape are used in the game to give them more heft and visibility at night.
The tape is deftly stretched over the ball’s surface to give it a smooth surface that produces greater bounce and speed. With this modification, the tape ball is less dangerous for street games than a conventional cricket, which has a cork core covered with twine layers and a leather shell.
Bilal says playing tape ball cricket helps keep them moving during the fasting month.
“People often sleep in the day during fasting, said Bilal. “Physical activity is essential for good health, that is walking and running, etc., and cricket covers all this.”
On this Thursday in Lyari, one of Karachi’s poor neighborhoods, some 200 spectators of mostly cheering fans who admire the players turned up to watch them bat and bowl through the night.
“I don’t play but I watch it with great interest,” said Muhammad Munaf.
“Some of these boys go to their jobs during the day while some others sleep during day time. They don’t have much time on ordinary days but in Ramadan (they get to play in the night).”