In pictures: The National’s Summer Series

Cricket: The sport thrives in some of the most unlikely places, writes Paul Radley, including Papua New Guinea, a nation that earned official one-day international status this year. (Photo: Jeffrey E Biteng / The National)

A boy from the village of Hanuabada, Papua New Guinea, bats during a game of cricket in the streets of Port Moresby, the capital. Chris Hyde / Getty Images / February 24, 2012

The National summer series spread, page 8-9, from Saturday, August 3, 2014.

Golf: From two heart transplants to the US Open leaderboard, Steve Elling looks at one of the most unlikely rises to fame in the world of golf. (Photo: Mike Segar / Reuters)

The National summer series spread, page 8-9, from Sunday, August 3, 2014.

Football: After the Soviet invasion and under Taliban rule, football all but vanished in Afghanistan, but it is back and gathering a huge following in the process, writes Ahmed Rizvi. (Photo: Aref Karimi / AFP)

Two Kabul teams prepare to play at the Kabul Ghazi stadium in 2007. Top, a portrait of Afghan national hero Ahmad Shah Massoud. The 50,000-seat stadium, currently used for football, was used for public executions during the Taliban rule. AFP Photo / June 23, 2007

The National summer series spread, page 8-9, from Monday, August 4, 2014.

Table tennis: Despite being born without a right forearm, Pole Natalia Partyka not only dominates the Paralympic table tennis stage, she gives able-bodied opponents a challenge too, writes Paul Radley. (Photo: Jeffrey E Biteng / The National)

The National summer series spread, page 8-9, from Tuesday, August 5, 2014.

Ice hockey: With good infrastructure in place, the sport is in the pink of health and growing on the frosty rinks in the desert, writes Amith Passela. (Photo: Mona Al Marzooqi / The National)

Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi, one of the first Emiratis on the ice hockey scene back in the late 1980s. Delores Johnson / The National

With summer in full effect, The National decided to look at some of the unlikely success stories going on in the world of sport. Whether it is a team flourishing where you would not expect it or an athlete overcoming great challenges to become a notable player, we wanted to tell their stories.

Over the course of five days, our writers produced pieces on:

Cricket: Papua New Guinea

Golf: Erik Compton

Football: Afghanistan

Table tennis: Natalia Partyka

Ice Hockey: UAE national team

Above, we’ve included some of the pictures that tell the stories of these subjects, along with the original spreads as they appeared in the newspaper.