We are aware of the four national pillars in sports which brought us international fame, during the golden sports era between the 1980s and 1990s. These were hockey, squash, cricket and snooker. Pakistan achieved global dominance in these four sports over the course of this golden era.

There was, however, another sport during the same era where we won international laurels of equal stature, but one we often tend to overlook. In 1981, while the Khan dynasty began its total dominance on the world’s squash courts, and our hockey legends were sweeping global titles, a team of Pakistani players, led by the young Zia Mahmood, created waves of seismic proportions when they stunned the world by coming out of nowhere to become runners-up in the prestigious 1981 Bermuda Bowl Bridge tournament (a bit like the legendary Hashim Khan who came out of nowhere to win the British Open squash tournament in his very first appearance).

The 1981 Bermuda Bowl: Pakistan stuns the world in Bridge: The Pakistani bridge team enjoyed a mammoth success by beating the elite of internationally reputed bridge players in the 1981 Bermuda Bowl World Bridge Championship held at the Hilton Hotel in Port Chester, New York USA. They spearheaded a rise to a global ranking to #2. Despite it being their debut in this elite mind-sport, Pakistan stunned the world by first inflicting defeat on the United Kingdom, followed by crushing the Argentinians in the semi-finals. Hence they amazingly qualified to face the powerful USA opponents in the finals. Pakistan’s six member team (later, came to be known as the Golden Six) led by the legendary Zia Mahmood, showcased their exceptional prowess and strategic brilliance by leading the first half of the 96-board marathon final.

It was only in the second half that the Americans, led by the legendary Jeff Meckstroth pulled through to win the finals. History records it as a controversial win, which eventually resulted in the rewriting of the rulebook by the WBF (World Bridge Federation). We will however not go into the specifics of the controversy on this occasion, as the article is intended for general readership and not just those who understand the intricacies of the game.

The 1986 Rosenblum Cup: Sustaining the Momentum: The awesome performance at the Bermuda Bowl Championship was once again repeated by Pakistan in the equally prestigious Rosenblum Cup held in Miami in 1986, when Pakistan team, again led by the legendary Zia Mahmood, secured a silver medal, and confirmed their status as being the most formidable bridge-playing nation, challenging the exclusive dominance of the West in the game of Bridge.

The 1980s was a symbol of world and regional dominance in the game of bridge for Pakistan. For ten years Pakistan rose from nowhere to be counted amongst the top three bridge playing nations of the world.

It put Pakistan way up on the pedestal of international bridge. Winning major international tournaments enabled Bridge to be taken up more seriously in Pakistan.

The 2000s era: Surge in Popularity of Bridge in Pakistan: Just like our legends in Cricket helped popularise the game of Cricket in the country, the Zia legacy along with his team of The Golden Six played a pivotal role in popularising bridge especially amongst youngsters and making Pakistan a regional power in the 2000s era.

Unlike the game of hockey, the impetus and momentum provided to bridge back in the 1980s continues to this day. Even though Zia Mahmood himself has started representing the US and UK for his professional growth reasons, he frequently visits his native country and plays a key role in keeping the flame burning. The game of bridge has become a status symbol in major social clubs across the country and within military messes (owing to the strategic mindset requirement of the sport). The game has been adopted also by the corporate and professional elite. Its popularity can be witnessed, particularly in elite clubs such as the Karachi and Lahore Gymkhanas, the Islamabad Club and so on. Professionals such as doctors, engineers and high-ranking civil servants are seen as regular visitors to the bridge table.

Pakistan has done well at regional level. Major milestones during the 2000-2026 period Include: The 2011 Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East Championship:

In a major victory at regional level in 2011, Pakistan defeated their arch rivals India at their home ground at Chennai to win the BFAME (Bridge Federation of Asia and the Middle East) Championship. The victory served as a major impact in popularizing the sport amongst the youth of Pakistan, particularly in the context that it was India they defeated in the finals, which always ignites the national sporting spirit, particularly amongst the youth.

The Pakistan Day Bridge Championship (2014): This was again a major milestone in the promotion of Bridge in Pakistan. This tournament was organised by the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF) in collaboration with the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) and was held at the PC Hotel Karachi. It became a mega international event, with 333 players and 38 teams including those from the UK, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey and China participating in the event. This level of participation made it the largest ever gathering in the city’s history and gave Bridge the biggest regional boost and a local media coverage which it deserved. It must be mentioned here that the real credit for holding this event goes to Zia Mahmood who convinced global masters such as Hackett brothers of the UK to participate in the event, particularly in view of the players’ security concerns prevailing at that time (against the backdrop of the security issues of 2009 during the Sri Lankan Cricket team’s visit to Pakistan).

In a way, it also opened the way for international teams from other sports to set aside their security worries while touring Pakistan. Furthermore, the tournament provided local players an excellent opportunity to compete with the best at international level.

The 2025 BFAME Championhip: Regional Success for Pakistan: The 2025 Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Championships were held in Dubai (April 10-18,2025). As per rules revised in 2019, there are basically four categories in the BFAME regional tournament. These are Open, Women, Senior and the Mixed categories. So technically it is possible to win a total of four medals in any single tournament. Furthermore, winning a Gold or a Silver qualifies the winner to compete in the main World Bridge Team Championship (formerly known as the Bermuda Bowls Championship) which also now has the same four categories, as those in the regional championship.

In the 2025 BFAME Regional Championships held in Dubai, Pakistan performed brilliantly and won three out of the above four categories. They won a Silver in the Women’s, Bronze in the Seniors (age 63+) and another bronze in the Mixed category. However, as per rules, only the Gold and Silver medalists qualify to play in the main world event. As such, only our women’s category winning team qualified to play in the 2025 World Bridge Team Championships which were to be held in Denmark. Names of the four women team members who took Pakistan to the next main world event were Fatima Raza (Team Captain), Rubina Agha, Rehana Saigol and Samina Raza

The 2025 World Bridge Team Championships, Denmark: It was a super achievement and a proud moment that our women’s team qualified, by virtue of winning the silver medal at the regional event at Dubai, to participate in the Women’s category of the 47th World Bridge Team Championships held in Herning, Denmark, in August 2025. Unfortunately, the Pakistan women could not repeat the same level of performance at the Denmark World Tournament,particularly in view of the very tough global competition they faced.

The 2026 World Bridge Series. Poland: The 2026 World Bridge Series is a massive global event, which is scheduled to take place in Katowice, Poland, from August 20 to September 3, 2026. Though it’s not counted as a qualification event, it is a transnational event, meaning that world class players from different countries can team up with each other to play against mixed multi-national team members, hence providing an excellent opportunity for our players, men and women alike, to get valuable experience and international exposure.

Next Qualification Event: 2027 BFAME (Zone 4) Championships: The 2025 BFAME Regional Championships held in Dubai (where we won the silver medal in the Women’s category) showcased Pakistan’s prowess and strategic mindset to beat the best in the world. It’s imperative that the Pakistan Bridge Federation, along with other local bridge associations and stakeholders, keep the momentum going. They must devise a formal game plan to hunt for talent among the youth and set up training camps for selection and training of talented players with strong analytical skills. Pakistan has a rich, silent history in bridge, and with proper investment in the youth, the nation can reclaim its 1980s glory on the world stage.

Though the immediate goal is to prepare our team for the upcoming World Bridge Series in Poland, the ultimate goal is to be ready for participation in the 2027 BFAME qualification event, which is a gateway to the main 2027 World Bridge Tournament.

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