Meet Japan cricket star Shizuka Miyaji

All-rounder talks sport’s future in her country; experience of playing against Pakistan

KARACHI:

“It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl,” says Japan’s Shizuka Miyaji’s about her journey into cricket.

Her sports journey can be parallel to any Pakistani woman who is trying to make her mark in sports, especially when it comes to mainstream sports.

At the end of the day, the common thread is about women taking the space in sports and ultimately paving their way into making the world a more equitable place, one match at a time.

The 40-year-old left-arm slow orthodox bowler and batter simply believes that it was a simple ambition of being better and having fun that attracted her to sports, and even though she grew up playing baseball, Shizuka is a part of the first privately held franchise T20 event in the history now.

She was capped in 2006 for the Japanese cricket team.

She is a part of the incredible roster of women from more than 30 countries who will be competing in the FairBreak Invitational Tournament starting May 1 in Dubai.

The aim of the tournament and the FairBreak movement is to help explore equal opportunities for women through cricket.

Here is her insight into a fast growing cricket community globally and in Japan, along with her experience of playing against Pakistan.

Tribune: How did you start playing cricket?

Shizuka: I started playing cricket when I was a university student at the age of 20. It looked like a fun sport which was similar to baseball.

Tribune: As a girl, was it easy for you to play sports?

Shizuka: It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl.

Tribune: Did your parents support you in choosing to be an athlete?

Shizuka: Yes, they supported me to play my sport of choice.

Tribune: In which city did you grow up?

Shizuka: Nishinomiya-city which is known as the home of high school baseball in Japan. It is also one of the cities severely hit by the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake in 1995.

Tribune: Was becoming a full-time athlete easy?

Shizuka: No, because it is difficult to get sponsors for many women athletes.

Tribune: Do you have any other job besides playing cricket?

Shizuka: Yes. I work in the Tea Room at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

Tribune: Is cricket a popular sport in Japan?

Shizuka: Cricket is getting bigger especially in cities like Sano-citywhere I live. It will still take more time to become a national sport, but I am excited about the future of cricket in Japan.

Tribune: What was your experience of playing with Pakistan and do you have any favourite players from Pakistan?

Shizuka: We played Pakistan in 2009 in Shanghai, in 2010 at the Asian Games, and also in 2012 in Sano, Japan. They were always a very good team and a huge challenge for us. We learned a lot through the experiences.

My favourite player from Pakistan is Sana Mir because she is a good captain and is also a very good all-rounder.

Tribune: How do you think cricket helps in empowering women and how did it empower you?

Shizuka: Sport has given me energy, confidence, and courage. I think sport can do the same to anyone regardless of their gender or where they live.

Tribune: Where do you see the future of Japan women’s team in women’s cricket internationally?

Shizuka: I hope we will play in World Cups in the future.

Tribune: Are balancing a sports career and also being a mother, wife or fulfilling any of the roles as a woman easy?

Shizuka: It is definitely easier if the people around you support you.

Tribune: Your most memorable match?

Shizuka: Winning the East Asia-Pacific tournament in 2010 was the most memorable as it gave us our first chance to play at a global qualifier in 2011 in Bangladesh.

Tribune: Your message for women reading your interview?

Shizuka: Even if you face tough situations, I hope you keep trying to archive your goals and I hope you can find people who understand and support you.

Tribune: What are your expectations from the FairBreak Invitational Tournament in Dubai?

Shizuka: I am excited to meet and play with all the players coming from around the globe. I would like to learn a lot from them and I hope my experience inspires the girls playing cricket in Japan.

Tribune: How are you preparing for FairBreak Invitational Tournament?

Shizuka: I broke three cricket bats during the winter hitting millions of balls.