Nauman Niaz


Nauman Niaz is the Director Sports & Syndication of the PTVC, cricket correspondent, writer, anchorperson and avid memorabilia collector. He is a recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s Civil Award for his contributions to sports journalism and broadcasting.
He has written articles for various newspapers and has anchored numerous live shows about cricket. He authored Pakistan Cricket ‘The Story of Betrayal’ and is the official historian of Pakistan Cricket. His book 'THE FLUCTUATING FORTUNES' commissioned by the Pakistan Cricket Board and launched in 2005.

Early life and education

Niaz was born in Lahore, West Pakistan. He was the third child of Mrs Nusrat Hamid and Lieutenant General Hamid Niaz of Pakistan Army. He started his schooling in St Mary’s Academy, Rawalpindi in 1975 before enrolling in Aitchison College, Lahore. After completing his Bachelors in Medicine and Bachelors in Surgery from Rawalpindi Medical College, he worked at the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi. Soon afterwards, he completed his post graduation in the field of endocrinology. He is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He holds PhD from University of Western Australia and a post doctorate from the University of Oxford.

Introduction to cricket

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 promoted to Manager Coordinator of the Asian Cricket Council. Soon afterwards, Niaz was appointed as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s media manager.

Journalism/Anchoring

Nauman resigned from the PCB in 2001 to pursue a career purely in clinical medicine. However, he remained associated with sports journalism, writing for The News International and also appearing as a commentator for Ten Sports and Star Sports. His television career started by chance when Syed Talat Hussein invited him to his show Swarey Swarey. The show aired on PTV from Islamabad and discussed Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwithrana’s newly developed technique during the Wills World Cup 1996.
Soon, he was asked to host the pre and post match analysis during the World Cup in 1996 which became 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.
In 1997 with South Africa touring Pakistan, he joined Star Sports and appeared as a host for the match-analysis shows aired by the channel.
Between 2001 and 2010, Niaz hosted several cricket programmes for Ten Sports, and numerous private channels in Pakistan.
In 2011 after PTV had acquired the rights of the 2011 ICC World Cup played, he was re-hired to start a monologue on PTV News.
When PTV decided to launch PTV Sports a 24/7 specialized sports channel in December 2011, it acquired his services as its first Head of Contents and Senior Anchorperson.
He has been also influential in bringing various foreign cricketers of repute as in-house guests on PTV's post-match analysis shows.