As the sun sets and families finish iftar during Ramazan, sports courts across Karachi begin to fill with young people heading out for a late-night game of padel.

From around 9pm until sehri, many courts remain busy as players gather in groups to compete, socialise and stay active during the fasting month.

For many youngsters, Ramadan nights have become the perfect time to play.

Anas, a young padel player in Karachi, says the sport fits easily into the Ramadan routine.

“During Ramazan, most of us come after iftar. Sometimes we play until sehri,” he tells The Express Tribune.

At 28, Anas never imagined a few short video clips on social media would change his fitness routine and perhaps his weekends forever. Watching his friend’s padel reels from Dubai, he found himself drawn to the game’s energy, the rhythm of rallies, and the camaraderie it seemed to inspire.

“I used to think I’d have to go to Dubai just to try it,” he laughs. “But now, padel is here and it’s growing faster than anyone expected.”

Anas, who plays regularly at Legend Arena, started two years ago when Karachi’s first padel court opened. A former cricket enthusiast, he says the sport’s simplicity instantly appealed to him. “The best thing about padel is that you don’t need 11 friends like in cricket just two players can start a match,” he says. “I work full-time, my friends do too, but we can still find time to play. Every day, I learn something new.”

He explains that the game demands both science and stamina.

“Just like cricket has in-swing and out-swing, padel has its own physics top spin, bottom spin, reflexes everything matters. You don’t necessarily need a coach, but if you play daily, you’ll eventually learn the game.”

What exactly is padel?

Padel is often described as a mix between tennis and squash. It’s played on a smaller enclosed court surrounded by glass walls , a design that keeps the ball in play even after bouncing off the walls, adding speed and excitement to every rally. Unlike tennis, the racket has no strings; it’s made of carbon fiber with a solid frame and perforated surface.

For children, rackets usually weigh between 270 to 290 grams, while adult rackets range from 345-375 grams.

The rise of padel in Pakistan

Padel entered Pakistan around late 2023 and early 2024, with Karachi leading the trend.

The first padel court was set up at Legend Arena, and within months, the sport began spreading rapidly across the city.

Today, Karachi boasts over 150 active padel courts, a clear sign of how quickly the game has caught on.

One of the early investors in the sport, Usman Laddha, owner of several padel courts in Karachi, jokes about its growth:

“The way babies are being born in Pakistan, padel courts are being built at the same pace,” he laughs.

“When we built our court in August 2024, there were only 12 or 13 courts in the city,” he continues. “Now, just over a year later, there are more than 150.”

Pakistan on the international scene

Despite being new to the country, Pakistani players are already making an impact abroad.

“Pakistan’s team participated in the World Cup in Spain and even defeated teams from Thailand and China in the Asia Cup,” Usman proudly shares.