Like many other female sport personalities of the country, it has not been an easy ride for the women cricketers of Pakistan. Threats from religious fundamentalists, bureaucratic hostility and male chauvinism, women’s cricket in the country has gone through it all and survived. And now, looks set to achieve international recognition from all quarters of cricket.
The credit for taking the female version of cricket in Pakistan to these new heights goes to two sisters, Shazia and Sharmeen. It was through their efforts that Pakistan Women’s Cricket Control Association was able to convince the International Women’s Cricket Council to grant them official recognition.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board had other ideas and two other women’s cricketing bodies were seeking the IWCC’s membership. But according to official noticification from an IWCC spokesperson, “the IWCC has received a number of requests for membership from other organizations in Pakistan, but in line with its eligibility requirements as stated in its constitution, namely ‘only one governing body from any one country can be a Member at any one time’.” PWCCA as in.
However the Pakistan Cricket Board has so far failed to recognize the association, making lame excuses in the process. This despite the fact that PWCCA has successfully represented Pakistan all across the world. It has even received a letter of recommendation from President Pervez Musharraf. In it he appreciated the PWCCA’s efforts in “promoting women’s cricket” and the development of the game in the country.
The confusion surrounding PCB’s refusal to recognize the PWCCA first came to light when two extra set of officials from two different organizations landed in Calcutta in 1997 to attend International Women’s Cricket Council’s two-day enclave. Apart from the representative of Pakistan Women’s Cricket Control Association, there were two others, both of whom claimed to be the secretary of PWCA. This is quite normal for many sports bodies in the country, where teams from parallel bodies or representatives embarrass sports authorities in Pakistan and make a mockery of the controlling bodies and the country.
For both Shazia and Sharmeen, cricket is not just a game. It is a passion. However their greatest recognition came when two sisters earned a letter of appreciation from Queen Elizabeth’s Balmoral Castle Secretariat for their participation in an official MCC match. In a letter, Her Majesty the Queen, also the patron of MCC, was ‘delighted to know that they and their team had taken so much pleasure in playing the game in this country’. The Queen congratulated the team and sent her best wishes for their continued success.
The match itself was historic as it was the first time in 213 years of MCC that a women’s team had found acceptance. Shazia faced the first ball, made the first run and hit the first boundary. Sharmeen and Kiran Baloch were the other players from the overseas to participate.
With reference to their efforts in Pakistan, Shazia had applied for full membership of IWCC in 1988 but the two sisters had to be whisked away to England after death threats. Their they nurtured their love for the game and Shazia became captain of the women’s cricket team at Leed’s University. Sharmeen followed suit.
Four years later they returned quietly and managed to organize a match with a group of veteran male cricketers in Karachi. Later they grabbed the sports journalists and threw a challenge match at National Stadium Karachi.
Enthusiastic response from girls encouraged PWCCA to make arrangements for a foreign coach. Their efforts bore fruit when the Australian Sports Commission sent Jodie Davies. News of her arrival spread like wild fire and well over 3000 girls stormed the camp. This was an amazing number proving that in a male dominated society women still had hope.
Looking at their past performance the women national team has little to boast about but they certainly have enough potential which can be exploited to turn them into a world class outfit. But their morals are high, especially after they beat Netherlands 4-3 last year at home grounds. Now the team’s concentration will be on the coming World Cup scheduled in August next year at Amsterdam.
But their performance on and off the field is no mean achievement when they were recognized, voted or nominated on the world body by New Zealand, West Indies, India, Denmark, England, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa. Ten of these major countries have invited Pakistan women team for official tours. The national team has already toured Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka (twice), England, India (for the World Cup) and Ireland. They have played first class matches and One Day Internationals in all these countries. In addition to their commitment for the World Cup next year in Netherlands, the women’s team has also been invited to United States next year. They will be playing their second Test match at Dublin, Ireland next year.
The Association has developed a ground exclusively for women’s cricket in Karachi with three turf wickets with provisions of nets facilities and running regular coaching classes free. They have imported a bowling machine to provide world standard bowling attack for the batting line-up.
The PWCCA does not enjoy any financial support from the Pakistan Cricket Board but their expenses are financed by sponsors likes of Pakistan International Airlines.
Like many other female sport personalities of the country, it has not been an easy ride for the women cricketers of Pakistan. Threats from religious fundamentalists, bureaucratic hostility and male chauvinism, women’s cricket in the country has gone through it all and survived. And now, looks set to achieve international recognition from all quarters of cricket.
