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    Why Pakistan Women Cricket Team is Not Doing Well?

    Written by: Waseem Abbas
    Posted on: April 29, 2024 | | 中文

    Pakistan women cricket team

    Pakistan Women's Cricket Team lost all three matches against West Indies in the recently concluded ODI series, which prompted many critics to suggest an overhaul in the management of women's cricket and the accountability of the coaches and players. There is no doubt that the performance of the Pakistan Women's team is not up to the mark, but reaching radical conclusions before understanding the ground realities would be a superficial way of addressing the problem. A plethora of factors, such as the absence of grassroot facilities, societal barriers and less financial support, amongst other factors, contribute to the mediocre performance of women's cricket team, despite twenty-seven years of international experience. Only a systematic and cultural overhaul can improve Pakistan women's cricket and revitalize the female cricketers.

    Pakistan women team

    Women do not play sports in Pakistan because of cultural and societal limitations, as women’s participation in sports is socially frowned upon by a generally conservative society. Even at the school level, girls are discouraged from participating in sports, including cricket. Even those women who break the glass barrier and convince their families for allowing them a career in sports, face numerous challenges. There is a shortage of playgrounds for women, and although a few big cities might have these facilities, but a lot of talent is wasted before these women make it to the big clubs. Fatima Sana, a rising fast bowler in the Pakistan women's team, recounted in an interview with TRT World that she played her initial cricket alongside boys in her neighborhood in Karachi, as there was no proper facility for women's cricket. In an interview with Dawn in 2022, the current captain of the women's team, Nida Dar, recalled that girls "cannot go and train at any place at any time”, because of the limited facilities for women. Nida said that they practice hard to maintain their fitness level, “the difference between us and other teams can be that of facilities and the environment.”

    Team Pakistan celebrates after taking a wicket

    It is unfortunate that Pakistan is currently ranked 10th in ODIs and 8th in T20Is, and has never won any ICC competition in its history. It is imperative to realize that there is no grassroots level system of talent hunt in Pakistan for women's cricket, as the first contract system for domestic women cricketers in Pakistan was introduced only in 2023. The central contracts for women cricketers announced in 2023 increased match fees by 100 percent in ODI cricket and 50% in T20Is. According to the daily Dawn, an average male cricketer makes 6 times more than a female cricketer in Pakistan. As players struggle with financial constraints, especially at the domestic and club level, for it is the transformative period in their careers. They are unable to focus on their cricket, resulting in a waste of talent.

    Former captain Bismah Maroof has announced retirement recently

    The leading international teams in women's cricket, like Australia, India and England, have sustainable ways of financing their teams, resulting in well-groomed, well-trained and carefree cricketers who perform to their potential. Indian women's team captain Mithali Raj questioned the pay gap between male and female cricketers in 2017, and as a result, BCCI has equaled the monthly pay, match fees, and other ruminations for male and female cricketers. Women IPL in India has generated huge sums in the last two years, and has paid women cricketers as much as 0.4 million USD per tournament, more than what PSL paid to its superstars. It will be impractical to demand equal pay for male and female cricketers in Pakistan, which stands at 142nd position out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index. It is, however, not illogical to demand that steps be taken to increase the flow of funds from the cash-rich men's cricket to female cricket, to improve the quality of women's cricket in the country.

    Team Pakistan

    One reason why women cricketers in Pakistan fail to perform up to their potential is the lack of competitive cricket and the experience of sharing a dressing room with the game's superstars. BBL and IPL have introduced league cricket for women, bringing money, fame and exposure to female cricketers, but unfortunately, Pakistani cricketers are left out of these competitions due to different reasons. Nida Dar and Fatima Sana are exceptions, who have played women's Big Bash.

    Pakistan men's cricket is flourishing despite the odds because of the money involved, viewership, legacy and history of men's cricket. Superstars like Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Waseem Akram and Shoaib Akhtar have enriched the sport and popularized the game to every corner of the country, which is missing in women cricket. Even in women's cricket, Australia, India, South Africa, West Indies and England have female superstar cricketers, who elevate the game in their respective countries. Players such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana, Stafanie Taylor, Chamari Athapaththu, Marizanne Kapp, Sarah Taylor, Elysee Perry, Shabnam Ismail, amongst others, attract crowd, viewership and revenue, and inspire young girls to take up the sport. Players like Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar have achieved the status of stars, and young girls are following in their footsteps. It can be expected that the stardom of players like Dar, Maroof and Mir has definitely inspired young girls, and hopefully, there will be future stars in women's cricket as well.

    Pakistan team players with Bismah Maroof's daughter

    We need to follow a carefully crafted approach to women's cricket, as girls are systematically marginalized, facilities are not up to the mark, and financial constraints restrict the growth of the team. Unless we match India, England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies and others in providing facilities to women's cricket, we cannot remain competitive. Only after revamping societal stereotypes about women in sports, increasing women's participation in cricket, improving the game at the grassroots level and increasing revenues for women's cricket team, can we dream of winning ICC trophies and defeating world-class teams like West Indies, England and Australia. Populist statements and programs about women's cricket without these systematic changes will completely fail to produce the desired change.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021