Women cricket clubs on the cards in South Punjab

MULTAN: Women cricket clubs will be established in various regions of South Punjab to encourage females to play cricket. Steps will be taken to include women in cricket on a permanent basis, said Multan Sultans Owner Ali Tareen.

He expressed these views while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a coaching campus and practice pitches for the Women’s Peace League at Bahauddin Zakariya University and the University of Education Lahore, Multan Campus on Wednesday.

Tareen said that the importance of sports, especially cricket, can only be highlighted if women cricket clubs are established at schools, colleges and universities. He added that 100 girls have been playing in the Women’s Peace League within the past one or two months.

He stated that women’s cricket would be expanded to other areas of South Punjab after Multan. “Female cricketers are very talented. There is a need for spotting that talent,” he added. Tareen said that currently, only 45 female cricketers are playing under the PCB’s banner. “We are making immense efforts to increase this number,” he said.

He stated that more facilities would be provided in schools, colleges and universities to promote women’s cricket and the main purpose of this is to showcase female talent in South Punjab.

On the occasion, the selector of the female cricket team, Asmaviya Iqbal, appreciated the efforts and steps taken for the promotion of women’s cricket. She said that female talent will be showcased if efforts are made at a grassroots level.

She stated that trials were conducted of students from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University Multan and the University of Education Multan Campus. She added that after selection, eight teams were formed.

Bahauddin Zakariya University Vice-Chancellor Dr Tariq Mehmood Ansari, University of Education Multan Campus Director Muhammad Azam and others were present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2019.