The Pakistan women’s cricket team has pulled off a historic feat by securing their first World Cup win after 13 years, beating the West Indies by 8 wickets. The spinners however shined brightest, restricting the opposition to just 89 runs before the batters came in and sealed the momentous victory. Nida Dar’s spell was particularly impressive: 4 for 10 in four overs. The win has come almost a week after Sidra Ameen scored the first ever century by a Pakistani batter at the Women’s World Cup against Bangladesh. Netizens took to social media to celebrate the occasion and did not shy away from expressing how proud they felt.
These achievements are an indication of the strength and resilience of female athletes and the immense untapped potential in women’s sports. While this may be the most memorable moment for our girls, it is even more significant for women’s sports in general and Pakistan women’s cricket in specific. It is not just about the win. It is about what the win represents. It is about the fact that the win was achieved against all odds. Our society is not keen on promoting female athletes and in certain households it is even considered a taboo. Those able to break the stereotype are often neglected. The same has been the case with the women’s cricket team. Lack of facilities, low pay, dilapidated infrastructure and mistreatment have been longstanding issues that the PCB needs to seriously address. There have been times in the past few years when these cricketers received no welcome and weren’t even provided transport facilities after arriving home from international tournaments.
Despite all this, the team continues to strive hard and show that they are much more that what others perceive of them. While the men enjoy their perks and privileges, it is time for the PCB to extend some to the women. The PCB needs to seriously chart out a plan for developing and enhancing women’s cricket in Pakistan by improving facilitation, recruiting international trainers and conducting tournaments at the grassroots level.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2022.
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