Stories by Rameen Salman

The author is a lifelong cricket tragic who is constantly fascinated by the intersection of sports, media and culture. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Journalism as an Alfalah Scholar at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi.

Pakistan’s past and future make a bid for the present

As Pakistan build up to the World Cup next year, Saturday’s standout performances by three different southpaws showed how the past and future can culminate for present glory.

Updated 01 Nov, 2026 07:16pm

What Pakistan cricket needed, Shadab Khan needed more

The last few years have been more desperate than convincing for Shadab, and yesterday, against England, there were two reviews to show for it.

Updated 26 Oct, 2026 04:50pm

Pakistan's mythologised idea of an all-rounder finds a home in Arafat Minhas

If you can score runs with the bat, and save the same runs with the ball, and dismiss the opposition in the process, and do all of those things well, there is little anyone can hold over you.

Published 21 Oct, 2026 05:50pm

One more Fatima Sana, and Pakistan would have gold

Bronze in a four-team field may read as underachievement, but Pakistan can't afford to keep overlooking the greatness that got them there.

Updated 24 Sep, 2026 01:36pm

It takes real conviction to be as gloriously underwhelming as Pakistan have been during the England tour

Is it too much to ask for a team to try? For Pakistan, the answer is a resounding yes.

Published 29 Aug, 2026 11:47am

A crumble with tea: Pakistan’s Test collapses are now a template

What has affected this Pakistan side over the last few years of Test cricket is how much they lack the grit to minimise damage and grind their way through moments of weakness.

Published 20 Aug, 2026 07:29pm

T20 World Cup: How will Pakistan carry forward their bits-and-pieces campaign in the Super 8s?

There are no cheat-codes to revert to at this level of the tournament. No shortcuts or calculations. If Pakistan wants to mix things up at this level, it must make sure they subsequently match.

Published 24 Feb, 2026 01:52pm

Underdogs strike: Associate teams are setting the T20 stage on fire

In the shortest format of cricket, associate teams are proving that skill and determination can challenge the established order.

Updated 10 Feb, 2026 10:19pm

Why Pakistan’s squad at this year’s T20 World Cup feels like a team again

Salman Ali Agha’s success at number 3 has unlocked a vein of potential for Pakistan.

Updated 07 Feb, 2026 08:35am

Between two Sundays: Pakistan cricket’s apolitical comedy of errors

From boycotts that weren’t to referees fired but still officiating, Pakistan cricket’s latest drama proves once more that when we insist sport and politics don’t mix, the result is neither cricket nor politics — just farce.

Published 21 Sep, 2025 08:17am

The anatomy of grief (Pakistan cricket version)

A Pakistani cricket fan does not yearn for a win or success, all they want is a fight.

Published 10 Mar, 2025 10:28am

When cricket defies logic: Pakistan vs India, or the stories we tell ourselves

Cricket finds a way to seep into every little story we tell — the ones not only in feature films but also in fleeting ads, on sports grounds and battlefields alike.

Updated 22 Feb, 2025 04:01pm