"Tapae" is a regional game that continues to be played in some villages of Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Similar to baseball, it involves a stick resembling a baseball bat and a heavy ball with a soft surface.
The number of players in each team is not fixed; all available players are divided equally into two teams. Two creases are drawn about 70 to 80 meters apart, and the toss determines which team will bat and which will field. Unlike in formal sports, there are no referees; instead, any disputes are resolved by the elders in the audience, with a majority decision.
After the toss, the batting team positions themselves inside the batting crease, while the fielding team takes their positions in the field. Each batsman has three shots, except for the captain, who has four. To play, the batter tosses the ball in the air and then hits it straight with the bat. The pitch is approximately 15 meters wide, with the areas to the right and left being prohibited zones, known as “naman’. The word Naman originates from “namanay” which means “to not listen too” in Pashto.
Catching the ball before it makes contact with the ground results in an out, similar to cricket. If a batsman gets out or uses all three shots, they must revive themselves by running to the opposite crease and then back to bat again while their teammates take turns hitting the ball. This revival process can be done with a pause in the fielding crease, known as "Jail."
During this time, the opposing team tries to throw the ball at the runner, and any contact means the fielding side has to get into the crease on either side. At least one player from the fielding side must get into the batting side to bring his team into the batting side again.
Another interesting scenario occurs when either all the batters play their shots and no one is left "alive" in the batting crease, or no one from the fielding side manages to get into the batting crease after hitting the opponent's runner. In such cases, the ball is thrown to the fielding side, who either hide it in their shirts or start passing it to each other. Meanwhile, the batting side tries to revive themselves. This exciting phase is known as "Arrtoo Parrtoo" and often adds thrill to the game.
The winner of the day is decided by the team that spends the most time in the batting crease. The game typically commences after Asar prayer and ends with the Maghreb Azaan.
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