Nauman Niaz

Dr. Nauman Niaz during the Faysal Bank T20 2014

Dr. Nauman Hamid Niaz (born 19 November 1969) is Director Sports & Syndication of the PTVC, official historian of Pakistan Cricket, cricket correspondent and writer, top anchorperson and a memorabilia collector, recipient of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s Civil Award for his contributions in sports journalism and broadcasting.

His writings on cricket have been well received printed in various newspapers around the world. His is a loud voice on Pakistan cricket. Often termed as anti cricket establishment writer and anchorperson his first book THE FLUCTUATING FORTUNES (IV Volume, 2005) launched by the Prime Minister Islamic Republic of Pakistan at the Prime Minister House is the official history of Pakistan Cricket besides having written over 3000 articles for various newspapers, the world over and having anchored over 5000 live shows on cricket for numerous channels in England, New Zealand, the West Indies, India and Pakistan. He has also authored Pakistan Cricket ‘The Story of Betrayal’ (2010).

Early life

Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Nauman is the third child of Mrs Nusrat Hamid and Lieutenant General Hamid Niaz (retd.) of Pakistan Army. In 1975 he started his schooling in Rawalpindi and consequently studied in Convent Jesus & Mary Sialkot, St Mary’s Academy Rawalpindi, Aitchison College Lahore and Rawalpindi Medical College.

After completing his Bachelors in Medicine and Bachelors in Surgery (MBBS) from Rawalpindi Medical College worked at the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi. A postgraduate having completed his Membership from the Royal College of Physicians (UK), also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) and a PhD from Western Australia and is a qualified Endocrinologist. While he was a post graduate trainee at the Holy Family Hospital in 1999 he joined the Pakistan Cricket Board as Media Coordinator and was soon promoted as Manager Coordination of the Asian Cricket Council. Once the late Dr. Zafar Altaf was removed as Chairman of the PCB replaced by Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia, Niaz was appointed as Pakistan Cricket Board’s Manager Media.

Journalism

Nauman resigned from the PCB in 2001 to pursue a career in clinical medicine however he remained associated with sports journalism, writing for The News International and also appearing as a commentator for TENSPORTS, TALK RADIO & STAR SPORTS besides hosting shows for various private channels in Pakistan. His television career had started accidentally when Syed Talat Hussein one of the prominent anchors had invited him to his show Swarey Swarey aired from PTV in Islamabad to discuss Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwithrana’s newly developed technique during the Wills World Cup 1996.

Attracting Director Programmes the late Mr. Naveed Zafar he was asked to host the pre and post match analysis during the World Cup in 1996. He was an instant hit. Nauman remained with the PTVC until 1999 hosting a handful of shows during various international tournaments and series and became a serious voice in cricket.

When South Africa toured Pakistan in 1997 and for the first time cricket rights were acquired by STAR SPORTS, he appeared as host for them interviewing debutants Azhar Mahmood and Ali Arooj Naqvi both scoring hundreds in their maiden appearances in Test matches. He also interviewed Hansie Cronje.

In 2000 he appeared in shows for Grenada Television in Guyana besides appearing in programmes on TV New Zealand in 2001. Between 2001 and 2010, Niaz hosted numerous shows and hosted several cricket programmes for TEN Sports, and all private channels in the country. His monologues 'The Golden Times' & 'Battle Beyond The Boundary'made him famous.

Admired and revered by the youth for his brazen and evidenced based analysis, and absolute mastery over the statistical details. He is an authentic source of world's cricket history. His photogenic memory and churning of stats during live shows including both pre historic and modern matches, such has been his core knowledge that top players including Javed Miandad, Sir Vivian Richards, Glenn McGrath and Brian Lara termed him as an ‘Encyclopedia’.

In 2011 after PTV had acquired the rights of the ICC World Cup played in India, and their wrap around show not attracting numbers and consumers he was called in to start a monologue on PTV News. His show was an instant hit also generating high revenue and his theme of analyzing a match player to player and also based on stats, the predictive part became enormously popular.

When PTV decided to launch PTV Sports a 24/7 specialized channel in December 2011 acquired his services as its first Head of Contents and Senior Anchorperson. Nauman became associated with PTV Sports as part of its launch team and subsequently saw it growing to become number one sports channel within the territory.

His first show on PTV Sports after channel’s launch with Shoaib Akhtar ‘Eye to Eye’ not only saw the fast bowler being launched as an analyst but it spurred the youthful audience to get hooked on to the channel. It beat its rivals within the Pakistan territory and became a household brand.

Nauman started a signature show SPORTS CIRCLE with ex Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail during the Asia Cup 2012 and again it was highest on ratings, not only individually becoming a brand their team worked together for the next twelve months. In 2013 after SPORTS CIRCLE was discontinued with the departure of Aamir Sohail, Nauman launched SPICE VIEWS PTV Sports’ signature show attracting acclaim and top ratings.

Nauman also added newer dimensions and took PTV Sports to places by airing anti cricket establishment shows whenever warranted unlike the rest of the channels of the state broadcaster. It added authenticity and credibility to channel’s profile. PTV Sports broke all records when to attract the international community back to bringing teams to Pakistan after 2009 attack on players from Sri Lanka at Lahore a sequel to terrorist attack which had led Pakistan sports to be completely alienated, Nauman brought Jonty Rhodes, Damien Martyn and Herschelle Gibbs as in house guest on the ICC World Cup 2015 show GAME ON HAI. It was an instant hit.

It not only changed the global perspective but also catapulted PTV Sports to become a premier channel within Pakistan. Having been appointed as Director Sports of the PTVC, Nauman subsequently invited Alistair Campbell the ex Zimbabwe captain and the then Managing Director of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union as an in house expert, and it is on record Campbell having admitted that Zimbabwe’s tour to Pakistan in May 2015 was largely impacted by the ex top players from all around the world touring the country and appearing on shows for the state broadcaster.

Sanath Jayasuriya was the next guest to Pakistan on PTV Sports followed by Robin Smith, Mark Butcher, Marvan Atapattu, Dean Jones, Ajay Jadeja, Brian Lara, Glenn McGrath and recently Andrew Symonds and Curtly Ambrose.

PTV Sports became a trend setter and since June 2016, Nauman has also been working as Director Sports Syndication of the PTVC. Currently PTV Sports’ inventory is packed including the England Cricket Board rights for 1 year, Cricket Australia Rights for 1 year, the Cricket New Zealand rights from 2104 to 2018, the Pakistan (international) Cricket Rights 2015-2019, the ICC Rights (2016–2019), Barclays Premier League 2016, Olympics 2016, the FIH Rights 2014-2018 besides other domestic events. Niaz is now rated as the number one sports anchor/cricket analyst in Pakistan and abroad.

PTV Sports became most followed channel during the ICC World Cup 2015 with GAME ON HAI their premier show becoming enormously famous, the channel generated Rs 1.39 billion net, record earnings from one event.

Memorabilia

Nauman is one of the largest collectors of Cricket Memorabilia in Asia, his collection including the original team sheets of England and Australia 1882, the first Test team autographs England Vs Australia 1876-77, 18000 signed photographs from Sir WG Grace, Victor Trumper, Warwick Armstrong to Brian Charles Lara and the modern day greats. He also has a collection of 9000 first editions cricket books, signed shirts, bats and cricket balls. Also interested in literature he also has a library housing 7000 first editions of Charles Dickens, Robert Browning, Sir Winston Churchill, Jean-Paul Sartre, Dante, William Durant, George Bernard Shaw, Bertrand Russell, W. Somerset Maugham, Ian Fleming, and signed books of AG Wells to name a few.

Honours

CIVIL AWARD President Islamic Republic of Pakistan conferred Tamgha-e-Imtiaz in 2015 for sports writing/journalism/broadcasting

References

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