Editing Karachi (section)

===Cricket===
[[Cricket]]'s history in Pakistan predates the creation of the country in 1947. The first ever international cricket match in Karachi was held on 22 November 1935 between [[Sindh]] and Australian cricket teams. The match was seen by 5,000 Karachiites.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/ "Match against Sindh"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226143852/https://www.smh.com.au/ |date=26 December 2018 }}. ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 23 November 1935</ref> Karachi is also the place that innovated [[tape ball]], a safer and more affordable alternative to cricket.<ref>{{Citation |last=Guardian Sport |title=Have you heard of Tape Ball cricket? |date=19 July 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV4fmG9-hlo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/sV4fmG9-hlo |archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live |access-date=23 July 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The inaugural first-class match at the National Stadium was played between Pakistan and India on 26 February 1955 and since then Pakistani national cricket team has won 20 of the 41 [[Test cricket|Test matches]] played at the National Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1506_t.html |title=Test matches played on National Stadium, Karachi |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804214224/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1506_t.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The first [[One Day International]] at the National Stadium was against the West Indies on 21 November 1980, with the match going to the last ball.

The national team has been less successful in such limited-overs matches at the ground, including a five-year stint between 1996 and 2001, when they failed to win any matches. The city has been host to a number of domestic cricket teams including Karachi,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/846/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class matches played by Karachi |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804214105/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/846/First-Class_Matches.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Karachi Blues,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/444/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class matches played by Karachi Blues |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804214006/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/444/First-Class_Matches.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Karachi Greens,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/446/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class matches played by Karachi Greens |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804214125/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/446/First-Class_Matches.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and Karachi Whites.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/445/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class matches played by Karachi Whites |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804213759/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/0/445/First-Class_Matches.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The National Stadium hosted two group matches (Pakistan v. South Africa on 29 February and Pakistan v. England on 3{{nbsp}}March), and a quarter-final match (South Africa v. West Indies on 11 March) during the [[1996 Cricket World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/series/60981.html?template=fixtures |title=Fixtures |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=8 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408071144/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/60981.html?template=fixtures |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Rafi Cricket Stadium]] under construction in Bahria Town would soon become the largest cricket stadium in Pakistan with a capacity of 50,000+ spectators.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 April 2017 |title=Bahria Town starts building Pakistan’s largest cricket stadium |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/198744-Bahria-Town-starts-building-Pakistans-largest-cricket-stadium |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref>