Batta Fast

"I don't know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore" - Suryakumar Yadav's claim that India-Pakistan is not a rivalry anymore made me want to explore what rivalries are, and when - if at all - do they end?

Follow us on Youtube!

"Pakistan is a country of SLAs pretending to be pacers" - this throwaway text from Osman on PiPY led to this podcast: a discussion on the aesthetics of Pakistani bowling, how they changed irrevocably with Imran Khan, and how the continued presence of guys like Noman in the chaos since is what makes sports so beautiful. 

Follow us on Youtube!

In this lecture Ahmer argues that almost every time you watch a Pakistan cricket team play - men's, women's, u19, whatever - you end up seeing the same match. No matter how many times you repair and replace its parts, the ship remains the same.

Link to Jarrod's video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPWYKyjCP_j/
Link to Danyal's article: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/asia-cup-2025-ind-vs-pak-what-pakistan-say-what-pakistan-do-and-the-gap-between-them-1504056

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Hafeez, Rashid and Legacy of 90s Cricket Players
03:57 The Impact of 90s Cricket on Modern Perceptions
10:36 Cultural Significance of 90s Cricket
14:44 Corruption and Instability
21:37 Why the 90s were an era of decline
30:04 The Lost Tournaments of the 90s
39:14 The Impact of County Cricket on Pakistani cricket
43:47 13 Captaincy changes in 3 years!
52:01 Late-Era Wasim Captaincy

Follow us on Youtube!

Back with the  @sportingmyths crew, we debate the GOAT ICC event performances. Before anyone gets too senti, the nominations and seedings were done kafi arbitrarily, because the intention was to just discuss some great performances. 

Fakhar Zaman vs India 2017
Mohammad Amir vs India 2017
Shahid Afridi vs South Africa, 2009
Inzamam ul Haq vs New Zealand, 1992
Wasim Akram vs England, 1992
Babar Azam vs New Zealand, 2019
Rambo vs New Zealand, 1992
Misbah ul Haq vs India, 2007

Follow us on Youtube!

Just in time for the incredible disappointment of a winless home tournament,  Osman Samiuddin announces his totally final (unless need of nation arises) absolutely complete retirement from the show.

00:00 Introduction and Context of the Podcast
01:49 Osman's Departure 
05:18 Pakistan Cricket - can it really die?
10:27 That hockey wala trauma 
15:15 How Pakistan has stumbled into every major win
22:00 Was the Misbah era worse?
30:59 The issues in this era
35:46 Has the PCB almost always sucked?
40:10 How does Pak cricket survive the scary future?
49:52 Why ex-cricketers need self-awareness

Follow us on...

00:00 Introduction to Backward Point
01:29 Discussing the defeat
04:47 Babar Azam's Performance
07:36 Challenges in Pakistan's Batting
10:27 Issues with Domestic Cricket Conditions
12:08 Inability to Dismiss Lower Order Batsmen
21:52 AqibBall and Long-term Planning
29:36 Is the Spin Approach Fun?
31:16 How to Sustain Test Cricket
36:37 Flaws in the World Test Championship
40:41 Fan Experience in Pakistan
49:23 Press Box Dynamics 

Follow Backward Point on Youtube! 
https://www.youtube.com/@UCGHVj4AgR2FBB0slp2VOyuw

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Introduction to Backward Point
01:29 Discussing the defeat
04:47 Babar Azam's Performance
07:36 Challenges in Pakistan's Batting
10:27 Issues with Domestic Cricket Conditions
12:08 Inability to Dismiss Lower Order Batsmen
21:52 AqibBall and Long-term Planning
29:36 Is the Spin Approach Fun?
31:16 How to Sustain Test Cricket
36:37 Flaws in the World Test Championship
40:41 Fan Experience in Pakistan
49:23 Press Box Dynamics 

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Introduction to Anthems
03:00 Bol Qalandar Banger
06:00 Analysis of Ali Zafar's Anthems 
11:27 Arif Lohar and The Funniest Anthem Story
18:05 The Lahore Qalandars' Unique Sound
23:54 Desi Hip Hop's Emergence in PSL and the Naseebo Song
27:02 The Karachi Kings' Anthem HateWatch
30:04 Many Generic Songs
41:23 Exploring the Impact of PSL Anthems
45:13 How Soch adds to Islamabad United's Vibe
49:39 DJ Bravo and the Iconic Gladiators Anthem
52:36 The Nostalgia of Classic Cricket Songs
55:45 The Legacy of Tu Hai Kahan
01:03:12 The Influence of Abraar-ul-Haq's Zor Laga Ke Haiyya
01:10:18 The Legendary Bhoom Bhoom S...

00:00 Pakistan's Historic Test Victory
02:46 Bowling Strategies and Player Performances
06:04 The Role of Spinners
09:03 Aqib Javed's Coaching Impact
15:09 World Test Championship and the Future of Test Cricket
38:12 Cricket's relationship with ecology
45:50 Pakistan's Home Advantage Strategy
51:27 The Terrible Calendar for Pakistan
56:24 Reflections on the World Test Championship Cycle
01:01:00 Realising we have jinxed Pakistan

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Introduction and Context of Pakistan's Cricket Performance
01:14 Analysis of Recent Matches and Player Performances
04:49 Pakistan's Injury Curse
08:59 Evaluating Pakistan's Test Team Consistency
13:02 Is Pakistan really a fast bowling country?
26:30 Pakistan cricket's mismanagement of bowlers
24:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Team Development
33:13 The Two-Tiered World Test Championship Debate
49:53 The Hypocrisy of the Afghan cricket boycott calls

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Intro
00:29 Abbas's Travolta-like comeback
06:01 Analyzing Abbas's Bowling Performance
08:50 Abbas's changing pace 
12:08 Celebrating like Shaiby
26:00 Rabada and Naseem's spells
29:49 Rabada vs Bumrah and Cummins
35:42 Race and Class Privilege in South African Cricket
36:53 South Africa's Incredible Journey to the WTC Final
40:44 The Big Three's Dominance of ICC Events
43:02 The Media's Role in Cricket Narratives
45:22 Recognising players outside of the Big 3
54:58 Why this match was a rare tragedy in SA
01:00:34 Empathising with Shan

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Celebrating the sweep
02:53 Shaheen finds his form
09:46 On the circle of Love, Saim & Saeed 
19:49 Comparing Generations: Saeed Anwar and Saim Ayub
29:57 Sufyan, Salman and other Solid Performers
33:49 Why doesn't South Africa hurt as much as Australia?
40:00 Pakistan and the WTC Final
39:07 Pakistan's Chances Against South Africa
46:13 How to win in SA
52:03 Do Bilaterals matter?
57:48 How the Rizwan era might be different

Follow us on Youtube!

00:00 Easy Ho Ja

03:04 Ahmer’s nightly fantasy

05:52 Saim Ayub: Dekha Na Tha

15:10 Salman Ali Agha: The Unsung Hero

21:05 Pak record in SA

30:05 Agha’s superb spin

36:53 Rizwan’s captaincy

44:56 Gillespie resignation

54:12 The fkn Champions Trophy

Follow us on Youtube!

Pakistan's men's squad for the tour to South Africa featured the omission of Shaheen Afridi, a development that was more sad than shocking. We debate the rest of the squad, and then get into the absolute sh*tshow that has been the Champions Trophy hosting crisis.

00:00 Reflections on Pakistan's Test Squad
05:52 The Future of Shaheen Afridi's Career
09:13 Do Tests still offer the same legacy as white-ball?
14:50 Why Pakistan is a graveyard for bowlers
17:51 Sajid Khan's Exclusion and Its Implications
20:55 Hope for Mohammed Abbas's Return
31:26 More complaints about how we've ruined our...

00:00 Introduction to the Q&A Session
01:09 Who was the best Test player in every decade from the '50s onwards?
16:30 What will happen with the PCB, ICC and the BCCI in the Champions Trophy?
34:06 Which bowlers should make the squad for the SA tour? 
37:59 What are the pop-culture implications of 1987-era Imran Khan being present today and dating Taylor Swift?
47:40 Did the recent series wins hide deeper structural problems in the men's team?
51:12 How much do individuals end up influencing bilateral cricket relations between India and Pakistan?
57:02 Players you thought would be g...

00:00 CONGRATES TO PACE LOVERS

05:48 Seeing Pakistan cricket as a work of art rather than sport

08:54 Haris Rauf: Pace is Pace Yaar

11:59 The Game Changing Impact of Tape Ball Cricket

21:20 Pakistan’s pacers rediscovering their groove

22:58 Demythologising the Mighty 90s

25:10 Saim Ayub and the Saeed Anwar comparisons

37:42 Rizwan's Captaincy: A New Perspective

47:39 Political Ramifications of the Champions Trophy

01:01:27 The Future of ICC Dynamics

Follow us on Youtube!

Recently paroled con artist Aqib Javed is traveling around the country gathering people for his next big scheme: to rob three Tests owned by the ever ruthless English cricket team. With the aid of a right hand man named Aleem Dar, an umpire out of retirement, a Shani, a boundary dealer, a bald offie, a smooth leftie, an explosives expert, two failing openers, and a bitter casino mogul, they make up Aqib's Eleven, out to make one very big score.

00:00 Celebrating an Unbelievable Victory
03:10 The Context of Pakistan's Test drought
06:07 The Rise of Unsung Heroes...

Iss haftay hum ne episode mei title baad mei likha hai.

00:00 Introduction and Match Preview
02:55 Pindi pitch and the toss
06:01 Gillespie ka GOAT quote
14:58 Plot twist - the pitch kept lower than it turned
17:52 Celebrating Sajid & Noman
23:05 The challenges of captaining a 1+3 spin attack
31:34 In praise of Jamie Smith
40:00 Ranking both team's chances
52:50 Plans for SA & WI series and revisionism on pitches

Follow us on Youtube!

Almost 4 years since their last test win at home, Pakistan beat England and give us a long overdue sugar rush.

00:00 1348 dino ke baad
03:07 Reflections on Pakistan's Win
05:56 The Role of Spinners in Pakistan's Victory
09:14 Sajid, Noman, Kamran, Salman & Their Contributions
12:16 Analyzing Batting Performance
18:07 Euphoria vs. Reality in Pakistan Cricket
21:02 Critique of Management and Selection committee
39:08 Why the Babar Azam dropping decision was a joke
43:01 Selection as Surgery/Punishment
47:17 Pak obsession with over training instead of specialised
49:34 Rizwan's Excellent Keeping 
01:03:20 The Dramaybaazi/Main Character Syndrome of modern s...

00:00 Quick thoughts on the latest debacle
05:04 Pakistani Fitness Levels and Performance Discrepancies
10:11 Can you change the culture?
14:51 Patreon shoutouts and Questions
17:15 Famous Sledges and Weird Superstitions
26:46 Why do Pak ex-cricketers slag off everyone?
39:15 Under the table payments in franchise leagues
40:42 The Impact of Salary Caps in Franchise Leagues
41:37 Did IK miss out on fame?
43:33 Team Misbah vs India
46:17 Saudi Influence in Global Cricket
48:32 A story on Babar Azam’s origins
56:46 The Future of Test Cricket and ICC's Role
01:07:55 Memorable non-Pak Cricket Moments

Follow us on...

In this episode of Bata Fast, we look at three CCs - Champions Cup, Connection Camp and Central Contracts. We also look at the less alliterative England series. 

00:00 Introduction and Context of the Podcast
03:05 Assad's Call for Positivity in Cricket Commentary
09:03 The Nature of Journalism and Reporting
11:58 CC Tournament Structure and Its Impact on Performance
17:56 The Role of Central Contracts and Player Management
27:09 Connection Camp
39:00 Central Contracts and how no one understands their purpose
53:00 Previewing the England Series

Follow us on Youtube!

In this episode, we look at the Champions Cup, what's been good about it, and what the cricket has been like. That discussion somehow became a deep dive into Misbah and his unique, nerdy approach to cricket. We then discuss Fatima Sana's strong performance in a patchy but encouraging 1-2 series loss to South Africa, and end with an overdue remembrance of the recently departed Haniya Aslam. 

00:00 Introduction to Current Cricket Events
02:52 Analysis of the Champions Cup
06:13 Performance Insights and Player Evaluations
09:04 Tournament Structure and Future Implications
19:35 The Misbah segue, and trying to u...

First of all, thanks to Saim Salman and Waleed Ahmed.

In this v long episode, we try and take every question you guys sent us this past week to celebrate our 5000 subscribers.

In addition, here is the link to the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/battafast

We will be doing a monthly version of this for our Patreons, so please do sign up!

Follow us on Youtube!

As predicted by us, Pakistan keep hitting new lows as Bangladesh completed a historic sweep. But our focus ended up being on the PCB's absolutely bone-headed decisions, and the existential threat faced by Pakistani cricket. 

02:24 Bangladesh's Historic Test Series Win
08:16 Impressive Performances by Bangladeshi Bowlers
14:13 Questioning Pakistan's Leadership and Selection Decisions
19:09 Concerns about Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi
22:39 The Need for Strong Incentives for Test Cricket
27:12 The Lack of Recognition for Test Cricket
30:17 PCB's shenanigans with the Mentors
32:30 Unsustainable Financial Decisions and Neglect of the PSL
43:22 Imbalance Between Domestic a...

We took a few days after the event to record this, which means we aren't at the fire and brimstone stage everyone else might be. We congratulate Bangladesh on a magnificent win, and lay out our causes for the defeat.

01:04 Bangladesh's Impressive Win Against Pakistan
08:44 Pakistan's Poor Performance and Team Selection
14:47 Flaws in the World Test Championship Ranking System
21:41 Issues with Pakistan's Pitch Preparation and Workload Management
33:05 Mistreatment of Players and Lack of Support
42:42 The Pressure on Shan’s Captaincy
52:48 The Impact of Rhythm and Schedule on Player Performance
01:02:33 The Ne...

"He is the first splash on a blank canvas, the first flick of a torchlight into the abyss. If ever an athletics legacy will be built - though don't hold your breath - it will start with him."

From Osman's article: https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40801739/paris-olympics-2024-pakistan-gold-medal-javelin-all-hail-improbable-arshad-nadeem-first-maybe-last-kind

We try our best to capture the unprecedented nature of Arshad Nadeem's Olympic record shattering moment.

0:00 Arshad Nadeem's Gold medal - Pakistan's greatest sporting achievement?
5:24 Overcoming obstacles - Arshad's remarkable journey
9:20 Ya Ali and the folk-hero
15:07 The institutional obstacles for...

We are back with a new episode and no new news or matches. So we just sit and cry about the PCB. Enjoy!

0:00 The Upcoming mega season of Pakistan cricket
3:10 Shan Masood's captaincy and Naseem's return
7:00 The NOC brouhaha and the future of the PSL
15:27 The potential of tapeball cricket
20:00 Frustration with existing PCB management
28:40 Mohsin Naqvi's multiple roles
41:48 Why tapeball offers self-sustainability
46:30 Shaheen's future and his mistreatment 
53:00 Wiki's back baby

Follow us on Youtube!

Welcome to the batting sibling of our great Pakistani pace spells series! We start off with a canonical entry, Inzi's starmaking turn at the '92 World Cup semifinal.

0:00 Intro
03:45 Inzi's iconic innings
08:36 Context for this match
15:45 Jonty's runout that made fielding a genuine skill
22:07 Inzi in cluth moments
28:50 The 1992 World Cup and the birth of modern cricket
37:50 How Inzi broke NZ's foolproof bowling 
44:55 How this innings defined his reputation

Follow us on Youtube!

Finally, the Indian team wins an ICC event after having dominated the world game for so long. We give the team their flowers, marvel at the way Bumrah has silenced all doubters, do the blasphemy of comparing him to Wasim, and consider the tactics and choking allegations from a fantastic final.

Follow us on Youtube!

We can't stop gushing over Afghanistan's wonderful run to the semifinals, including a reflection on Mohammad Nabi's Hall of Fame career, and the greatest injury in cricket history.

1:00 Reviewing the group stages and celebrating Afghanistan's magical run
6:30 Gulbadin's magnificent, iconic injury
10:30 Afghanistan's winning tactics
14:00Mohammad Nabi's GOAT career
32:00 South Africa's atypical run
37:00 Previewing the semifinals
39:00 Rohit's incredible transformation
42:00 Hope for rain-free matches
45:00 Expectations for the finals

Follow us on Youtube!

As our period of massive viewcounts (lol) ends before it really began, we review a depressing campaign, outline the many causes for failure, and end up ranking the worst ICC events for the Pakistan's men's team this century.


0:30 Batta Fast revenue streams destroyed
2:00 Babar's captaincy, the fallout, the tactical issues
11:00 Why PSL success hasn't translated for this team
18:00 A look at PCB's mystifying selection process
22:00 Disastrously unstable era at the PCB
24:20 "Even for Pakistan cricket, this is a wild era"
36:00 Reviewing this tournament in light of others
37:30 Ranking the...

What a delightfully horrible way to lose to India. We discuss the causes of the defeat, Pakistan's stagnant development, the clusterf**k that is the PCB, and India's own batting woes.

0:00 Intro and why Pakistan lost
3:30 Has Pakistan's core stagnated?
14:00 Why Pakistan's batting is not fit for purpose
25:15 How the bowlers have evolved more than batters
36:16 From Wahab to Mohsin, a collection of unserious people
44:30 India's batting struggles in T20 World Cups
52:10 The professional athlete's constant need to improve

Follow us on Youtube!

<...

We get very excited about the upcoming T20 World Cup, including a chance to see a whole bunch of associate sides, new stars to emerge, and for good/bad mojo to decide the tournament.

0:00 The boredom of creating content vs the excitement for the World Cup
11:00 Unique stories from the associate sides and potential for upsets
25:00 Pakistan, West Indies & Sri Lanka - Aar ya Paar sides
28:00 How India's conservatism holds them back
35:00 Ugh, Australia
45:00 England's X-factors - Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer in the Caribbean
50:00 Recapping Pakistan's squad, and charting their...

A discussion about #PAKvIRE became a long debate on what tactics should one look at in T20s, how Pakistan batting first and batting second are different teams, and what a bowler like Amir and a format like tapeball teaches us about the future of T20 cricket. Trust us, you will find this boring af.

0:00 Intro
02:00 The challenges of setting a target in T20s
07:30 Why T20Is are not the apex of the format
13:00 Understanding the value of runs and wickets in T20s
30:00 Mohammad Amir's vegetarian bowling
40:00 Rethinking what to...

We are back to worship the algo, and so fittingly we have found a way to force the Kendrick Drake beef into this episode. We also take a look at what Babar can learn from Akshay Kumar and Aditya Pancholi, why Andre Russell is the GOAT, and our take on the World T20 squads.

Kendrick, Drake and the 2023 World Cup
Babar Azam, Akshay Kumar and Aditya Pancholi
Bobby's career at an inflection point
The role of bowling in modern T20s
Dr. Sohail's resignation and PCB shenanigans
T20 World Cup Contenders
...

*puke* A terrible series that taught us nothing and made us despair a lot. We dive deep mostly into Babar, but also the larger malaise afflicting Pakistan cricket.

0:00 - 5:00 Intro and whining
5:00 Lack of ambition and intent
11:14 Toxic national team atmosphere
24:23 Babar's lack of evolution
30:37 Did we learn anything at all?

Follow us on Youtube!

To celebrate the star turn by Naseem Shah in his new ***** ad, we decide to take a look back at some of the iconic cola adverts starring Pakistani players. Thirty years of pure pop culture.

Original compilation of ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhwhTaU14zM
Osman podcast discussing War Minus the Shooting: https://www.81allout.com/2021/02/22/an-unquiet-history-an-interview-with-writer-osman-samiuddin/
Ahmer article on separating art from artist: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ahmer-naqvi-the-mohammad-asif-enigma-913199
Abid Hussain article on tape ball history (Nadeem Finger) https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/929545/tape-ball-tales

0:55 Intro to why we aren't...

This week, we respond to many fan queries and do a detailed discussion of our criticism's of Ramiz Raja's stint as PCB Chairman. We also debate just how gold was Shaheen's 'don't anger me' Insta story, and discuss how a return of the franchise-based Champion's League tournament is both exciting and ridiculous.

00:00 Intro and Shaheen's insta story
9:53 The Chairman Rambo era
37:03 What does a revival of the Champions League mean?

Follow us on Youtube!

We had planned to do a data deep dive on the recent PSL, but instead we have to content with all the elite level clownery going on at the PCB. 

Turns out, the board changed captains and released a #wholesome press release which had never been shared with the players instead. 

So now, we've got one recently sacked captain back, one highly fucked over player sacked without being told why, two of the most recent successful PSL captains not even considered, and two known haters of the current captain back in the team. 

Of...

APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE UPLOAD ON AUDIO!

Part 2 of our episode with the 3-time PSL winning General Manager of Islamabad United Rehan ul Haq. We go match by match throughout the whole magical season, charting all the ups and downs and how Islamabad's side found their way back to the top.

0:00 Match 5 - Trouncing the Kings
4:54 Match 6 - Rematch with Zalmi, Shadab's best PSL knock
10:06 Match 7 - Losing to nemesis Lahore, rise of Faheem
15:03 Match 8 - Beating Karachi, Pollard's genius, Haider's emergence
18:02 Match 9 - Did Islu hit their peak when beating...

In our favourite episode ever, great friend of the podcast and 3-time PSL winning General Manager of Islamabad United Rehan ul Haq joins us. We go match by match throughout the whole magical season, charting all the ups and downs and how Islamabad's side found their way back to the top.

0:00 Intro and banter
4:28 Why this PSL was his proudest professional achievement
7:51 The importance of team culture and how it was established at Islu
21:11 Match 1 - Beating Qalandars at home
25:41 Match 2 - Losing to Multan, Shadab as captain and Naseem as sexpot superstar<...

Guess who's back? We take a look at each of the PSL sides and how their seasons have gone 8 games in. From realising that Karachi Kings, not Lahore, are the worst PSL side ever to getting excited about everyone from Saim Ayub and Khwaja Nafay to Hunain Shah and Arif Yaqoob, we cover all the highs and lows of the season so far.

0:00 Intro
1:39  Lahore Qalandars - the funnest team in the PSL
10:51 Karachi Kings - the absolute worst thing about Karachi
21:26 Islamabad United - wait, why are these guys not good?
31:20 Peshawar Z...

A match that was over in the first powerplay, or a slow-burning thriller? Ahmer and Osman can't agree on how to frame Multan's win over a lacklustre Islamabad.

You can also watch the show on https://begin.watch, an upcoming, premium OTT platform called #Begin.

0:00 Why Ahmer hated this match
1:45 Why Osman enjoyed it
4:52 Multan's efficiency
6:42 Where was Shadab?
10:36 Multan's dominance at home
12:38 Why is the fielding so bad?
14:19 Power Rankings

Follow us on Youtube!

The two-time winners are now two-time losers. Lahore slump to another defeat as Quetta looks rejuvenated.

You can also watch the show on https://begin.watch, an upcoming, premium OTT platform called #Begin.

00:00 Intro and Khwaja Nafay mania
2:46 That PSL time of the year
4:28 Jahandad and the joy of PSL
6:15 Enjoying these moments for what they are
7:21 Nafay's viral ride
9:38 Cricket's toxic babay
11:00 Lahore's multiple concerns
13:10 Haris's form
14:00 Part-time keeper or specialist?
16:30 Lahore's potential
17:30 Sahibzada vs Selfie

Follow us on Youtube!<...

So we get that boring, one-sided blowout match early. Multan looked to have scored below par before proving that was enough for two Karachi chases.

You can also watch the show on https://begin.watch, an upcoming, premium OTT platform called #Begin. 

Follow us on Youtube!

Once the marquee matchup of the league, both teams now seem to be in the midst of new chapters.

You can watch the show on https://begin.watch, an upcoming, premium OTT platform called #Begin. 

0:00 - 1:21 Intro
1:22 - 2:21 Regeneration of Quetta
2:22 - 3:33 Peshawar's struggles
3:34 - 5:11 Saffy bhai and giving the kids a chance
5:12 - 12:31 Karachi's evolving school of batting, and Hanif Malik's impact
12:32 - 14:27 Peshawar's confounding tactics
14:28 - 17:06 Abrar's bowling and celebration
17:07 Power rankings

Follow us on Youtube!

Welcome to Batta Fast's coverage of PSL9. We will be doing a post-match show for every game of this year's PSL, with the episodes being hosted on our Youtube page, as well as on an upcoming, premium OTT platform called #Begin. You can also watch this show on https://begin.watch

Follow us on Youtube!

Friend of the podcast, founder of the Five Rupees blog, and itinerant cricket columnist for Dawn, Ahsan Butt joins the show to discuss the year that was in Pakistan cricket. 

Follow us on Youtube!

Two great cricket writers, Rameen (@rameenwhile) and Raiyan (@CricCritic2) join the show to discuss the two games from the New Zealand series, their thoughts on the T20 World Cup, and their take on how older cricket fans view the game.

Read this beautiful take by Rameen on Sundays and cricket: https://medium.com/@rameensalman/on-sundays-and-cricket-410620ed02d5

Here's a fascinating article by Raiyan on Pakistan's ideal T20 batter
https://medium.com/@raiyan201/pakistans-ideal-t20-batter-4554848a481

Follow us on Youtube!

As closely fought as a whitewash can get, Shan Masood's team continues to put in some of the best performances by Pakistan in Australia, admittedly a low-bar. We discuss Jamal's heroics, Saim's sexiness, and the joys of test cricket.

Follow us on Youtube!

On an eventful first day of the final Test of the tour, Pakistan put up a fighting total despite an early morning collapse. But as discussed here, its the bowling that has led to more heartbreaks than the batting.

Follow us on Youtube!

In a solo episode, Ahmer discusses how cricket creates stories of hope and glory in our minds; the pleasure of watching in the dark with friends on Whatsapp; and knowing when the good old days end and the loss begins.

Follow us on Youtube!

As Pakistan prepares to play the second test of its Australian tour, we preview what looks like a very bleak test match.

Follow us on Youtube!

As Australia thrash Pakistan inside four days, we review the abject batting failure, the context of Lyon's 500 wickets, and an impassioned discussion on how cricket fails its poorer teams.

Follow us on Youtube!

The golden delicious Imran Ahmed Khan returns to join us in reviewing the latest PSL Draft, as well as the future of the league.

Follow us on Youtube!

One of Pakistan cricket's great unsung heroes and a close friend of the podcast, Imran Ahmad Khan draws upon his experience as the former Head of Player Acquisition & Management at the PSL to help break down the league's draft process.

Follow us on Youtube!

Introducing our Manjan series, where each episode sells the manjan around Pakistan cricket these days. In this episode, we preview Pakistan's tour of Oz, get cautiously excited by the prospect of Shan Masood's captaincy, worry about Pakistan's bowling, and take a look at the double standard masti from Hafeez and Wahab.

Follow us on Youtube!

We debate India's knockout record, the toss and the pitch, Australia's unreal performance(s), and takeaways for a few others.

Follow us on Youtube!

#INDvAUS review - Dozakh ke shehzaday win yet again

Follow us on Youtube!

#PAKvENG but really a #CWC23review for Pakistan - it's all over

Follow us on Youtube!

#PAKvNZ review - this f***ing team... 

Follow us on Youtube!

Pakistan's semifinal chances, #PAKvBAN review, #NZvRSA review, #PAKvNZ preview, and calling out a shambolic PCB

Follow us on Youtube!

#PAKvRSA review - dil toooooots

Follow us on Youtube!

#PAKvAFG review - absolute domination by Afghanistan. Shoaib Naveed aka Silly Tiddy aka PSL Daddy replaces Osman as we discuss Pakistan's woeful bowling, Babar's costly captaincy, and Afghanistan's class and composure.

Follow us on Youtube!

Australia - shaitaan ki pasandeeda team.

Follow us on Youtube!

#PAKvIND review - ronay walay ke ronay ka waqt shurroo. 

We discuss the stunning collapse, how it rates in the all time rivalry, how boring this match was, and why there is a limit to hoping for a method to the madness.

Follow us on Youtube!

SOMETIMES ITS CRAMPS, SOMETIMES ITS ACTING

Follow us on Youtube!

We discuss #PAKvNED, and how Pakistan played down to its opponents, how Saud Shakeel was an absolute revelation, and how we feel about Shadab and Hasan Ali's bowling.

Follow us on Youtube!

Welcome to our special series of shows for the World Cup!

In episode 1, we dig into possibly the most underwhelming start to any major tournament ever. We break down the one-sided domination of New Zealand in the opener, and we do the hope-churning task of previewing Pakistan's chances at this tournament 

Watch out for episodes after every Pakistan match, as well as the knockouts.

Follow us on Youtube!

Batta Fast continues to host fast bowling royalty, as one of the greatest to ever do it joins the show. We talk to Waqar Younis about his greatest spells, what it felt like to miss out on the 1992 World Cup and his comeback from injuries, and his relationships with Wasim, Imran and others.

Watch the show: https://youtu.be/1QgjgkHYIpk

Follow us on Youtube!

The most requested spell ever since this podcast began, we recap Junaid Khan's brilliant, and hugely underrated spell against India in a forgotten bilateral series. We cover the many lows and few highs of Junaid's career, the absurdity of this tour, and spend some time with Mirza Ghalib.

Watch: https://youtu.be/50ahHdTqYYc

Follow us on Youtube!

The Sultan of Swing, the greatest left-armer in cricket history, the GOAT Wasim Akram joins Ahmer and Osman to discuss his favourite wickets and memories, his moral responsibility for making an an entire generation get the burger cut hairstyle, and what it was like bowling with Waqar, Imran and Shoaib.

Watch episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waHpU4Or1dc

Follow us on Youtube!

Peak Waqar, peak Haal, peak Pakistan. A slightly forgotten spell of a slightly overlooked genius, this reverse swing devastation of South Africa was perhaps Waqar at his most ferocious. We pick apart what made this spell special, and dissect everything from Waqar's swag and style to his injuries and decline. 

Follow us on Youtube!

The spell that gave birth to the legend of Wasim, to a left-arm fast renaissance in cricket, and to the death of English white-ball cricket for several decades.

Few moments in cricket history are as indelible as Wasim's double-wicket death strike in the final of the World Cup. We break down the spell, the legacy of Wasim's impact, and who he was before this spell changed his life, as well as ours.

Follow us on Youtube!

"Pakistan cricket at its best - one minute down, next minute up!"

The return of the prodigal son, playing in the country where he was jailed, in an ICC final vs the eternal rivals - Mohammad Amir's tournament-winning spell in the 2017 Champion's Trophy felt like the long awaited return of the teenager caught in cricket's worst fixing scandal of the 21st century. But was it really that, and what did Amir's career mean before and after this spell? And what about all those dropped catches? We break down one of the most fascinating personalities and spells in...

Has there ever been an enigma quite like Mohammad Asif? Even in the colourful history of Pakistan cricket, no one has quite combined both the highs and lows quite like Asif did. In a brief career punctuated by all sorts of scandals, Asif  managed to mesmerise a fandom obsessed with pace by removing it from the equation. A cricketer who bowled like he was playing music, Asif's most famous spell wasn't the best example of his  longform artistry. Yet in compiling a series of video game deliveries against one of cricket's most storied batting lineups,  it was the sort of...

If you're a cricketer who shares the same last name as one of the country's biggest ever stars, how do you stand out of his shadow? How about a stunning opening spell that led Pakistan's men's team to its first ever victory over India in a World Cup match?

Shaheen Shah Afridi was already a star when the 2021 T20 World Cup rolled around, but this spell took him to another level, the second episode in Batta Fast's discussion on favourite Pakistani pace spells.

We take a look at the historic status of Shaheen's spell, the...

The first episode of our podcast kicks off a series where we discuss our favourite fast bowling spells by Pakistani players.

We begin with the birth of a legend - Shoaib Akhtar's two wickets in two balls, including Sachin on a golden duck, began one of the most exciting, intriguing and dramatic careers in cricket history.

We go from Bappi Lahiri to Salman Khan in trying to explain what and who Shaiby was.

0 – 2:20 – Intro to the podcast
2:45 – 3:40 – The spell as the Pakistani Dream: bowling two Indians, one of whom is Sachin in front of...