Pain and money behind buzkashi

Afghan riders of the Yama Petroleum (orange) and Baghlan teams competing at the buzkashi league tournament final in Mazar-i- Sharif. Played for centuries in Afghanistan’s northern steppes, the national sport at the heart of Afghan identity has evolved from a rough, rural pastime to a professionalised phenomenon flush with cash. — AFP

AFGHAN rider Sarwar Pahlawan blinked away pain from the fresh stitches between his eyes as his buzkashi team chased victory in a tournament for an ancient sport still steeped in risk but now offering modern-day rewards.

Played for centuries in Afghanistan’s northern steppes, the national sport at the heart of Afghan identity has evolved from a rough, rural pastime to a professionalised phenomenon flush with cash.