A tape ball is a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape that is often used in informal games of cricket such as street cricket, also called tape ball cricket.a First pioneered in Karachi, Pakistan, the tape ball acts as an improvised cricket ball with the tape stretched tightly over the fuzzy felt-like covering of a tennis ball to ensure a smooth surface that produces greater pace after bouncing. The tape makes the ball heavier than a tennis ball, but not as hard or heavy as a cricket ball. As such, this modification seeks to reduce the risks to players, passers-by and property. Although originated in Pakistan, tape ball cricket is also very popular in South Asia specially in Bangladesh. Although most street games feature entirely covered varieties, tape balls may also be prepared such that only one side is taped to replicate reverse swing or they may have multiple layers of tape running down the middle to mimic the leather seam found on standard cricket balls.
History The practice of using electrical tape to repurpose the ball originated in Karachi street cricket during the 1960s, quickly spreading from neighbourhoods in Nazimabad and the Federal B. Area. This approach of modifying the ball built on previous unsuccessful attempts implemented by local bowlers, such as constantly wetting shaved tennis balls to make them heavier and more conducive to skidding through quickly after bouncing. Partly introduced to include individuals who were unable to access pitches and protective equipment, the tape ball innovation also countered the prodigious amounts of spin that skilled bowlers could extract when playing with tennis balls. One such exponent was former first-class cricketer Nadeem Moosa, who would squeeze the ball between his middle-finger and thumb before flicking it on release. The glossy surface of a tape ball would make this unorthodox, carrom-like grip difficult and bowlers focusing on speed, rather than turn, would start to find success. For up-and-coming batsmen such as Javed Miandad, who was involved in the early tape ball scene in Gazdarabad, this new way of playing instilled determination and resolve against the quickest bowlers.
In the 1980s, tape ball cricket circuits started to emerge across Pakistan where fiercely competitive games would be played in front of several hundred spectators and formal rules were drawn up. For example, the 'K2 Brother Cricket Tournament', referred to as a series of tape tennis matches, allowed for 8 players and 8 overs per side and also stipulated the use of the Japanese tape manufacturer, Netto, which was deemed to have the highest quality of available brands. Any batsman hitting the ball into a house would also immediately be declared out. During this decade, the tape ball trend spread to affluent areas, such as Defence and Clifton and was now enjoyed by lower and upper classes alike. In addition, the 'professional' tape ball player emerged. These were especially talented cricketers who would be hired to play in games for different teams in exchange for a small payment. Wasim Akram became a professional tape ball player in Lahore in 1983, a year before he would begin his test match career. By the early 1990s, tape ball cricket continued to enjoy popularity in practically every city and most of Pakistan's national side comprised the likes of Miandad, Akram and other cricketers who had grown up playing it. For children and young adults of the time, Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory saw nationwide interest in the sport grow even more and tape ball was thriving amongst a new generation of fans who had been galvanised by their homeland's achievement. Non-pecuniary rewards associated with amateur tape ball tournament performances now included the izzat (honour) amongst one's community and feelings of personal pride. The most successful players on the circuit would be garlanded with flowers, greeted with celebratory gunfire and paraded to grounds on horseback. Towards the end of the 20th century, tape ball games were widespread even in slums and on mountains and battlefields, as the previous novelty had long become an entrenched part of Pakistan's sporting culture. In 1999, Tariq Ali wrote that "the gulli-danda days are over" [referring to a previously ubiquitous sport] and Ramzan tape ball cricket tournaments were celebrated annual events. Held during the holy month of ramadan, the informal nature of these tournament games (which could last from 5 to 25 overs) would often be played late into the evenings for short periods of recreation before the commencement of daily fasting and morning prayers.
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