KABUL: The announcer roared over the public address system as a lone rider separated from a melee of horses and galloped towards a chalk circle drawn in the middle of a muddy field in the Afghan capital.

Despite being pursued by what appeared to be a cavalry charge, the rider dumped his “prize” in the circle and raised an arm in triumph.

Kandahar had taken the lead against Kunduz in Sunday’s grand final of Afgha­nistan’s national Buzkashi championships.

Banned as “immoral” when the Taliban first ruled from 1996 to 2001, the Islamists have embraced Buzkashi since returning to power in August, and the winning team hails from their heartland despite it having no real tradition of the sport.

“Unfortunately, Buzkashi was not allowed previously and was only played in provinces where the Taliban didn’t rule,” Qais Hassan, the owner of the winning Kandahar team, said.

“Today, luckily, Buzkashi is not only being played all over Afghanistan, but the government, the Islamic Emirate, is organising this competition.”

The sport is both spectacular and violent — a lot like the country, many Afghans are quick to tell you — and steeped in history.

Two teams with six horsemen a side fight for possession of, traditionally, a beheaded animal carcass — Buzkashi means “dragging the goat” in Persian — with the aim of dropping it into the “circle of truth”.

It has been played for centuries in Central Asia, with slight variations from country to country.

These days a 30-kilogram stuffed leather bag resembling a carcass is used instead of the real thing, but the skills required to compete remain the same.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2022