Women cricketers flock to trial for association teams

Over 1,000 young women showed up to trial for five cricket associations across Pakistan

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: If anyone had any misgivings about how much Pakistani women love cricket, they now stand corrected. In what the officials have termed as an overwhelming turnout, no less than 1,118 young young women showed up in the trials organised by five of the country’s six cricket associations, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said.

The trials are a joint-effort of the PCB and cricket associations (CAs) to strengthen the women player talent pool by making the game more accessible, and promote the sport amongst the female population of the country.

The selection panels, which comprised highly qualified coaches and former Test and first-class cricketers, selected players across the U19, emerging (ages 19-24) and senior (ages 25-28) categories.

“The turnout in these trials is overwhelming”, Head of Women’s Cricket Tania Mallick said. “It underscores the appetite of women’s cricket in the country and has played a crucial role in the identification of talent in different parts.”

The biggest turnout was recorded in Central Punjab where 287 players appeared in trials. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa came in next with 250 players, followed by Balochistan with 208, Southern Punjab with 223 and Northern Punjab with 140 players showing up.

Mallick thanked parents around the country for facilitating their daughters to appear in the trials, and said it was a good omen for women’s cricket. “The educational institutions have also played a major role in making these trials a success by bringing their students to venues.”

“I want to congratulate and thank the CAs who have played a robust role in the smooth execution of trials. These trials are the first step in the long journey for the development and promotion of the women’s cricket in the country, and it cannot be done without the support of CAs and we will continue to provide all the necessary support for it.”

The selected players have ample opportunities with a bumper women’s cricket season ahead. The inaugural U19 World Cup next year provides teenage cricketers opportunities to make a name for themselves at a global stage, while players selected in other categories can push for the national selection by standing out in domestic T20 and One-Day tournaments as well as in a franchise tournament.

Pakistan national women’s team have a busy 2022-23 season which kicks off with the T20I series against Sri Lanka later this month. They feature in three ICC Women’s Championship series, two of which will be played in Pakistan, Commonwealth Games, ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

The trials in Muzaffarabad will be held on 17 May, while the Sindh-leg of the trials will be run from 18 to 28 May. The trials in Karachi will take place on 27 and 28 May.