Shrinking grounds put grassroots cricket under pressure

Lahore’s shrinking number of playing fields is squeezing neighbourhood cricket, particularly for young players from low- and middle-income families. As rapid urban development replaces or limits historic grounds such as Minto Park, Baba Ground, Chauburji, Garhi Shahu and Dharampura, children are increasingly turning to streets and other unsafe spaces, weakening the traditional grassroots pathway through which the city’s cricket talent emerges. Minto Park has historically played a particularly important role in Lahore’s cricketing culture. Once…