LAHORE: As many as 1,118 young girls and women participated in the trials organised in five of the six Cricket Associations (CAs) as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to make the game more gender-inclusive continue.

In these trials, the biggest turnout was in Central Punjab where 287 players appeared. With 250 players, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was next. In what is a major development for the women’s game in Balochistan, 218 teenagers and women participated in the trials. As many as 223 and 140 players gave trials in Southern Punjab and Northern.

The selection panel in these CAs, which comprised highly qualified coaches in former Test and first-class cricketers, selected players across the U19, emerging (ages 19-24) and senior (ages 25-28) categories. 125, 139 and 40 players were selected in the U19, emerging and senior categories in Balochistan, Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern (Muzaffarabad remaining) and Southern Punjab.

Head of Women’s Cricket Tania Mallick said, “The turnout in these trials is overwhelming. It underscores the appetite of women’s cricket in the country and has played a crucial role in the identification of talent in different parts. I want to thank parents around the country for facilitating their daughters to appear in these trials and this is a good omen for women’s cricket.

The educational institutions have also played a major role in making these trials a success by bringing their students to venues. I want to congratulate and thank the CAs who have played a robust role in the smooth execution of trials.

These trials are the first step in the long journey for the development and promotion of the women’s cricket in the country, and it cannot be done without the support of CAs and we will continue to provide all the necessary support for it.”

The selected players have ample opportunities with a bumper women’s cricket season ahead. The inaugural U19 World Cup next year provides teenage cricketers opportunities to make a name for themselves at a global stage, while players selected in other categories can push for the national selection by standing out in domestic T20 and One-Day tournaments as well as in a franchise tournament.

Pakistan national women’s team have a busy 2022-23 season which kicks off with the T20I series against Sri Lanka later this month. They feature in three ICC Women’s Championship series, two of which will be played in Pakistan, Commonwealth Games, ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

The trials are a joint-effort of the PCB and CAs to strengthen the women player talent pool by making the game more accessible, and promote the sport amongst the female population of the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022