What Should be Changed to Improve Pakistan Women’s Cricket
Following the below-par performance in the Women’s World Cup 2022 in New Zealand, PCB looks to make extensive changes in the women’s cricket structure. After years of being in the shadow of men’s cricket, the women’s game in the country is finally set to be reborn with revolutionary steps by PCB.
While PCB gradually upgrades the domestic structure, here is an analysis of how Pakistan can be a match for big teams such as Australia, England, India, South Africa, and New Zealand:
Young Talent
While there is always plenty of competition for the coveted spots in the playing eleven of the men’s team, the case is somewhat different for Pakistan women’s side. The lack of players in the domestic circuit often leaves the selectors with no other option but to choose the already tested and outdated guns.
The situation is questionable as the current domestic system has failed to provide replacements and backups which allows the out-of-form and injured players to tag along with the team. It is pertinent to mention that the average age of the current Pakistan side is above 28 among which Fatima Sana aged 20 is the youngest.
Also Read: Pakistan to host over-40 Senior Cricket World Cup next year
There is no justification required to state that the new faces bring energy and enthusiasm to any side, hence uplifting the spirit of the team. A recent example is Fatima Sana who proved to be a breath of fresh air for Pakistan, bringing home the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year award with her joint-highest wickets in ODI cricket last year.
Moreover, it makes little sense to keep expecting different results from the same players as it is said ‘old keys never open new doors’. Therefore, it is about time that Pakistan bids farewell to the veterans and makes room for the young talent.
Domestic System
The yield of new players greatly depends upon the quality of the domestic system. While other countries have developed a strong structure for women’s game, Pakistan seems left behind in the race.
PCB started the National T20 and ODI Championship for women a few years ago, initially comprising three teams. Now, the competing teams have been increased to four, however, 20 days of intra-squad cricket seems barely enough to unearth the potential of players let alone help them prepare for the mega tournaments.
14-match tournaments organized by PCB are nowhere near the level of cricket being played at WBBL in Australia and Super Smash in New Zealand. What even surprises one, even more, is that none of Pakistan’s ‘elite’ players are considered qualified enough to participate in these domestic tournaments, with Nida Dar being the only Pakistani woman to feature in the Big Bash.
Drawing conclusions from the comparison between Pakistan’s domestic system to that of Australia, England, and New Zealand, it seems like PCB should widen the pool for women cricketers, increasing the number of teams as well as the matches they play. Moreover, frequent tours should be organized in order to maximize players’ exposure to foreign conditions.
Country Tournaments Teams Matches
Pakistan National T20 4 14
Australia WBBL 8 59
New Zealand Super Smash 6 32
Future Plans
PCB has recently announced the U19 National T20 Tournament which is a part of the PCB Pathway Cricket Program. Although the first season will comprise 14 T20 matches between four teams, the initiative is appreciable as the top performers will later get to participate in the National T20 tournament. This step seems promising to introduce young talent to the stale-looking pool of women’s cricket in Pakistan.
To further enhance the participation of young players, PCB has decided to conduct trials across the country in May, providing an opportunity for aspiring young girls to take up cricket as a career.
Commercial and Cultural Support
From the era of the first Test captain, Shaiza Khan, to Gilgit Baltistan’s first cricketer, Diana Baig, women’s cricket has faced numerous challenges.
In a country like Pakistan where parents rarely support a career in sports, playing cricket has been out of bounds for girls. Now, with young girls breaking the norms of society and pursuing their passion, women’s cricket is bound to thrive.
However, the financial aspect cannot be ignored. While men’s cricket in Pakistan is the biggest of businesses in the country, women’s game has hardly gotten any attention from sponsors and investors. The reason for this is the lack of viewership and interest among the public.
Hence, with PCB bringing revolution into the domestic system to enhance the quality of women’s game, a change of mindset through promotion and advertisement is also the need of the time.
With the new domestic system discovering passionate professionals and with the public taking an interest in women’s game, Pakistan women’s cricket team is bound to succeed. However, this requires a collective effort from PCB, players, and the public of Pakistan.
